SINGAPORE, 5th March 2022 – South Koreans continue to dominate the leaderboard of the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore after an impressive showing in round three.
With four of the world’s top six players competing at Sentosa Golf Club hailing from the country, the likelihood of Korea claiming a seventh tournament title is looking ever more likely.
In Gee Chun shot a 6-under par 66 in Round Three to eke out a one-shot lead over round two co-leader and World No.1 Jin Young Ko. Chun is at 12-under par on aggregate. Ko is tied in second place alongside Jeongeun Lee6, who shot the low-round of the day, a 7-under par 65.
At the top of the leaderboard for the first time this week, double Major winner Chun said:
“I tried to focus on the putting green because I have a spasm in my neck, so I didn’t try to hit hard. I think it went really well on the putting green, and then I could really read the greens well. That’s how I made a good score today. I can see more positive things for tomorrow.”
Commenting on the neck pain that almost forced her to withdraw from the tournament earlier in the week, she added:
“I almost thought about withdrawing on Thursday because at hole No. 11, it really hurt. The pain was really sharp. But I’m so happy because I had an incredible swing today, and there was not much hurt. So, I feel tomorrow is going to be really good.”
Lee6, whose round included an eagle on the par-5 13th hole said:
“I’m very satisfied with my results. My swing is getting better these days so I played comfortably. And I made six birdies in the front nine. I can easily play the back nine. I made a bogey on 11. And then I made an eagle on 13. Tomorrow I’m going to be nervous a little bit. So, I’m just focused on my game and one shot at a time.”
Ko, who carded a 3-under par 69 to equal her own record of 14 consecutive rounds in the 60s, said:
“It was a tough round because I had a lot of opportunities for birdies on the front nine, but I missed a lot of putts and some chips. I finished even on the front nine, and I really tried to make three birdies on the back nine. I had a little pressure but I made it. So I’m so happy. I can’t wait to play tomorrow.”
Tied in fourth place are Danielle Kang (U.S.), Amy Yang (South Korea), and Atthaya Thitikul (Thailand), who continues to impress and keep the pressure on the leaders. Thitikul said:
“It’s a good round, then. Not my A game, but I’ll take it because I bounced back for under-par in the back nine. So it was good.”
Looking ahead to tomorrow she added: “I want to keep everything the same because I think now it’s good, but not that good. But I’ll take it all. I just want to give myself a lot of chances to make a birdie.”
2021 runner-up Hannah Green has continued to play herself into contention, closing with a bogey-free 6-under par 66 on what is traditionally known as ‘moving day’. At 7-under par for the tournament, the Australian has left herself with plenty to do on the final day, but will take confidence from two wins at home prior to arriving in Singapore. She said:
“I hit it closer than I did, especially the first round. Once I finally saw one putt go in, it just gave me a bit more confidence. We’re all playing well, so we’re all feeding off each other. I feel like everything in my game is slightly improving. It was just the first round I couldn’t really put a score together.”
Singapore’s Sock Hwee Koh found the form she had been looking for in the first two rounds, closing for an impressive 1-under par 71 on The Tanjong. A good finish in the final round tomorrow will seal a successful tournament for her.
With the low-score of the day, the Singapore Airlines Round of the Day was awarded to Jeongeun Lee6.
* Information and images credit to www.hsbcgolf.com
