AUGUSTA, Ga.: Ingrid Lindblad of Sweden had a 2-under 70 for considered one of solely three rounds underneath par within the wind and chill Thursday, giving her a share of the lead with top-ranked Rose Zhang going into the ultimate spherical of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
Zhang, the 17-year-old U.S. Women’s Amateur champion, bogeyed her remaining gap for a 72.
They have been at 1-under 143 as the highest 30 now head to the house of the Masters on Saturday for the ultimate spherical. The remaining spot went to Maja Stark of Sweden, who performs at Oklahoma State. She gained a 5-way playoff for the thirtieth and remaining spot by rolling in an 18-foot birdie putt on the primary further gap at No. 10.
Conditions at Champions Retreat have been chilly and blustery, and it confirmed within the scoring. Olivia Mehaffey of Northern Ireland was the one participant to interrupt 70. After opening with a 75, Mehaffley shot 32 on the entrance 9 and closed with eight straight pars for a 69.
Today was positively much more windy, and among the pin places have been so much more durable than yesterday, Zhang stated. But I believe that the wind actually made the scores so much greater, and it was so much tougher to play on the market, particularly hole-by-hole and shot-by-shot.
The different spherical underneath par belonged to Gina Kim (71).
That units up a remaining group of two of the very best in ladies’s newbie golf for the ultimate spherical at Augusta National. Zhang is No. 1 within the ladies’s newbie rating whereas Lindblad, a sophomore at LSU, is at No. 4.
Mehaffey and Auston Kim (72) have been one other shot again at 144.
Zhang and Mehaffey have been amongst 9 gamers who will get one other probability to compete at Augusta National. They reached the ultimate spherical within the inaugural occasion in 2019. The Augusta National Women’s Amateur was canceled final 12 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
I imply, it’s Augusta National. Were on this stage proper now that the entire worlds watching, and theres going to be extra strain than Im positive anybodys ever felt, Mehaffey stated. I believe its clearly going to be troublesome. You need to type of go in ready for that.
Kate Smith was at 4 underneath when the primary spherical was halted Wednesday by sturdy storms. She returned Thursday morning and dropped 4 pictures for a 72, after which was on her heels many of the second spherical. She nonetheless was poised to earn a spot within the remaining spherical till a three-putt from about 20 ft on the par-3 seventeenth gap.
Had she completed with two pars, 30 gamers would have completed at 6-over 150. Instead, Smith was a part of the five-way playoff, and he or she missed her 25-foot birdie putt.
Yu-Sang Hou, Amari Avergy and Lauren Hartlage additionally missed their birdie possibilities to match Stark.
Two years in the past, there was an 11-way playoff for the ultimate 10 spots.
The preliminaries over, all 82 gamers within the subject headed to Augusta National on Friday for a follow spherical. Then, the 30 who made the minimize will play for the title.
Jennifer Kupcho gained the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur with a dynamic cost on the again 9 to beat her good buddy, Maria Fassi.
You see what Maria and Jennifer did two years in the past, Mehaffey stated. It was unimaginable, and it actually shook the golf world. I believe thats one thing that we have now the flexibility to do that week once more, and that may be very particular to do.
___
More AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
