KAPOLEI, Hawaii (AP) - Angela Stanford shot a 5-under 67 on Friday to open a four-stroke lead after three rounds of the LPGA LOTTE Championship in breezy Hawaii.
Stanford is 13 under going into the final round Saturday, ahead of Hyo Joo Kim and Michelle Wie at 9 under.
Stanford, a five-time LPGA Tour winner, finished the day with six birdies and one bogey, one day after taking the tournament lead with a 64 in the second round.
“I kind of found something (here) and for some reason I just have a really good feel on these greens,” Stanford said. “It’s been a lot fun watching the ball go in.”
Stanford birdied two holes in a row on the front nine, getting to 10 under with a birdie on the par-5 fifth hole. She moved to 13 under with birdies on Nos. 11, 12 and 13.
Wie shot 2 under in the third round and is tied with the 18-year-old Kim, who shot a 69 on Friday.
Wind gusts were up to 20 mph across the fairways at Ko Olina Golf Club, a resort area in west Oahu, according to the National Weather Service.
“It’s hard,” Stanford said. “It’s hard for everyone - you just have to be patient.”
Wie, who played with Stanford, had bogeys on Nos. 7 and 18.
“It was kind of a like a head scratcher kind of day. A lot of putts didn’t end up where I thought they would,” Wie said.
Cristie Kerr shot a 70 to move to fourth at 8 under. Amy Anderson, top-ranked Inbee Park and So Yeon Ryu were tied for fifth at 6 under. Anderson, an LPGA rookie, shot her best round yet with a 68.
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