|
 Jang shot a four-under-par 68 to move to 12-under for the
tournament, one ahead of Thailand's Pornanong Phatlum and two clear
of joint overnight leader Lee Mi-rim and Amy Yang as Koreans filled
three of the top four spots on the leaderboard.
Ariya Jutanugarn, Brooke Henderson, Stacy Lewis and Suzann Petterson
are in a group of six players four shots off the lead but they will
most likely need to shoot in the low 60s on Sunday if they are to
overhaul the supremely consistent Jang.
"I may try and be a little more aggressive tomorrow," Jang said in a
post-round interview. "But I need to stay confident and comfortable
and be proud. I talk to myself on every hole, say 'keep going, don't
think about it, just play golf'."
The 23-year-old made history in January when she became the first
golfer on the LPGA to score a hole-in-one on a par-four in the
Bahamas and followed that up with her first win on the circuit in
Florida early last month.
Jang secured two top-10 finishes in the subsequent events and has
gone bogey-free on the testing Serapong Course since the 14th hole
of her first round with an exemplary display of ball-striking from
tee to green.
PIVOTAL 13TH
One a day of low scoring despite windy conditions, the final group
of Jang, Lee and Pornanong matched each other shot-for-shot on the
front nine to stay ahead of the chasing pack at the $1.5 million
restricted-field event.
The pivotal hole of the day was the par-four 13th when Jang's
exquisite approach led to a routine birdie as Lee paid the price for
a wayward second shot, with her bogey leaving her two adrift of the
leader as the pair parred the last five holes.
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Pornanong was scrambling to stay in touch and rebounded well after a
bogey on the 11th with two birdies coming in, including on the
par-five 18th, to move within a shot of the lead as the Thai chases
a first LPGA victory since joining the tour in 2009.
"I need to prepare mentally for tomorrow before I head out on the
course," the 26-year-old said. "I have to be ready and like today,
try not to think too much out there."
Yang stormed into the final group on Sunday, at Lee's expense, when
she went on a back-nine birdie blitz after a disappointing start,
the two-time tour winner registering five birdies over the last
eight holes to rocket up the leaderboard.
"I never gave up," Yang admitted. "It was a little frustrating but I
just kept trying and it was great to finish with 31 on the back
nine."
(Reporting by John O'Brien; editing by Sudipto Ganguly)
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