South Korea’s Haeran Ryu, who has led the Black Desert Championship since the opening round, will take a two-stroke lead into Sunday’s final round after posting a 4-under-par 68 on Saturday in Ivins, Utah.
Ryu leads China’s Ruoning Yin, who is two back after vaulting up the leaderboard with an impressive bogey-free 10-under 62, the lowest round of this year’s event at the Club at Carlton Woods’ Nicklaus Course.
Esther Henseleit of Germany is three shots off the lead following her 4-under 68 on Saturday, with the trio of Thailand’s Chanettee Wannasaen (67) and Ariya Jutanugarn (69) and Taipei’s Wei-Ling Hsu (69) four shots back of Ryu.
China’s Yan Liu (65 on Saturday), Japan’s Rio Takeda (65) and Canada’s Brooke M. Henderson (66) are six shots back of the lead.
Ryu, who is seeking her third victory on the LPGA Tour, opened her round with a bogey — one of three on the day — but added four of her five birdies on the front nine and sank an eagle on the par-4 11th hole.
“Today was such a long day because too many winds today and then the course is more firmer than last two rounds,” said Ryu, who sits at 18-under-par 198. “So I just want to keep staying on the fairway, but that’s too hard for me.”
Yin, who was tied for 24th after two rounds, sank 10 birdies — five each on the front nine and back nine — to put herself into title contention. She hit four straight birdies on Nos. 12-15 and missed only one green and one fairway in regulation in the third round.
“I did not,” Yin said when asked if she thought she would shoot a 62. “Honestly, did not see that coming. But after the first day here and shoot pretty low, I was like, ‘OK, that’s doable.’ I just tried to put the ball on the fairway, green, and make some putts.”
Henseleit endured an up-and-down day, notching eight birdies — including four in a row on Nos. 10-13 — but also a pair of bogeys and an unfortunate double bogey on the final hole.
“Played really good again,” Henseleit said. “Rolled in some nice putts, especially those four in a row. Holed some good putts, some short holes that you really want to take advantage of, so that was good.
“And, yeah, then it got pretty windy, pretty gusty. Sadly, made a bogey on that par-3. Although I hit good shot, just got unlucky with the lie and rough. Yeah, 18 wasn’t the finish I imagined, but still another day to go.”
–Field Level Media
