Sam Choi
(Junior Golf Association of Phoenix)

Choi has held at least a share of the lead after each of the first three rounds, as he continued his strong front running play on Thursday. His first birdies of the day, came on consecutive holes; Nos. 5 and 6. On the 7th hole Choi dropped a stroke before getting it back with a birdie on the 9th.

On the homeward nine, Choi shot a 3-under 69 with two more birdies and a bogey.

Joaquin Niemann moved into a share of the lead with a 5-under 67. Niemann birdied four of five holes from Nos. 2-6 to get off to a swift start. Throughout the rest of the round, Niemann birdied three more, while bogeying two.

Chase Furey, 5-under, is in third place, Josh Armstrong and Norman Xiong are 2-under and tied for fourth.

GIRLS 15-17 DIVISION

With the North Course at Torrey Pines under renovation the Girls Division is being played a short distance away at the La Costa Resort & Spa Legends Course. With three rounds in the books Yuka Saso has opened up a comfortable four-stroke lead.

Saso, 6-under for the week, has combined rounds of 68-73-69 thus far. After starting with two bogeys, the first of her four, Saso caught fire beginning on the 6th hole with a birdie. Saso then followed it up with a birdie on No. 7, an eagle on the par-5 9th and then three birdies in the first four back nine holes. In all, Saso was 7-under during the eight hole stretch.

Nasa Hataoka, the closest competitor, is 2-under and in second place. Ching-Tzu Chen and Yui Kawamoto the final players in red figures and tied for fourth at 1-under. Kornkamol Sukaree is in fifth at even-par.

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