Lydia Ko
CANBERRA, Australia (Feb. 16, 2013) -- Rolex
World Number 8 Korean Jiyai Shin
and World Number 1 amateur Kiwi Lydia Ko
share the lead at 17-under par at
the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open,
heading into tomorrow’s final round
at Royal Canberra Golf Club, Yarralumla.
Both Ko and Shin, a runner-up at the Open in
2008 and the current RICOH
Women’s British Open champion, fired rounds of
3-under par 70 to co-lead the
championship by six strokes.
“I’m really looking forward to tomorrow as I’ve
enjoyed the last three rounds. I
know I’m playing a really young golfer but I
have more experience of her so I
have a really good feeling with my swing and
tempo and will keep focused,”
Shin said.
“I know I have a lot of fans in Australia and I
want show them good play and I
really want to win for them.”
Fifteen year-old Ko said she was happy with
her round and a victory on Sunday
would rank alongside her CN Canadian Open
win on the LPGA Tour last August.
“It would be up at the top. Every win is pretty
meaningful and especially if it’s
an LPGA event, even further so. I just got to
stay calm and see what happens
tomorrow,” Ko said.
“I’ll just play to the plan I’ve really made. Just
because I’m in the final group
and we’re on the same score or something, I
won’t change my plans. In the
past I’ve changed my plan and it wasn’t
better,” Ko added.
Spaniard Beatriz Recari is in outright third
place at 11-under par after a third
round 2-under par 71.
France’s Gwladys Nocera posted the round of
the day with an 8-under par 65 in
perfect morning conditions to move into a tie
for fourth with Spain’s Carlota
Ciganda, Taiwan’s Yani Tseng, overnight leader
Colombian Mariajo Uribe and
Thailand’s Moriya Jutanugarn at 9-under par.
“I hit the ball really good, and really close to
the pin, I had 3 shots off on the
front nine, so I was a little bit upset, I could
see that I was hitting the ball
really well, so I tried to make the putts. I made
a good one on the par 5 which
helped and then the 17th, so it was good,”
Nocera said.
Queenslander Sarah-Jane Smith is the best of
the Australians in a tie for 9th
place at 8-under par after her even par 73.
The final group of Shin and Ko tee off at
1.40pm.
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ABOUT THE Australian Women's Open
72 hole stroke play championship for professionals
and amateurs.
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