BEDMINSTER, N.J. – Through the first three round of the U.S. Women’s Open Golf Championship, Shanshan Feng had patience and a plan.
So far, everything has been working for her.
Feng will enter the final round of the tournament Sunday afternoon with a one stroke lead as she shot a 1-under 71 and had a one-stroke lead with a nine-under 207 over a tight field that has the top six golfers within four strokes of each other at Trump National Golf Course.
She leads Hye Jin Choi and Amy Yang (-8) by one stroke and Sung Hyun-Park by three strokes (-6). Both Mirim Lee and So-Yeon Ryu (-5) are four strokes off the pace.
Yang, who had three birdies on the back nine for a 33, and Choi, an amateur teenager, both finished with a 70. Choi’s 8-under 208 is the lowest three-day total of any amateur ever in the field.
It was a day of welcome relief of sunny skies and light humidity for the field that pushed itself through a steady rain Friday. Golfers battled through a two-hour rain delay Thursday that forced 39 of them to finish their rounds early Friday morning.
President Donald Trump arrived at the course late Friday afternoon from his trip to France. He made a brief crowd appearance on both days and watched the action from his penthouse above the 16th hole.
Feng , who is a citizen of China, is seeking her eight LPGA tour win and second major title. She sought to enhance her earlier success in the first two rounds. Feng had a birdie on the final hole Saturday afternoon, but she has a total of 10 overall through three rounds. She has only one bogey through 54 holes.
“I just did really well for the first two rounds and I think I should just keep doing the same thing for the weekend. I didn’t want to make any changes and just go out there and be myself.
“I had a plan to work my irons and that has worked out. The weather really hasn’t bothered me. I know I can go to my putting game as well as I have been sinking a good number of them.
“I just have to stay focused and play my game.”
Park, who finished third at the Open last year, had the best round of the day as she fired six birdies on the back nine to finish with a 30 and an overall 5-under 67. She began the day with a 1-under 143.
Park was in contention at last year’s Open, but she finished with a pair of 74s in the final two rounds.
“The first two days didn’t go as well as I thought they would,” said Park, a South Korea resident, through an interpreter. “But I had the 1-under yesterday and I felt better about everything. I felt more productive and thought I was going to play better today.
“I was putting well on the back nine today. The experience I had last year has helped me become better.”