The LPGA Tour Rookie Rio Takeda carded a 69 to take a two -stroke lead after three rounds on Saturday at Blue Bay Lpga on Hainan Island, China.
Takeda, 21, sits on 9-under 207 for the tournament and is the only player in the field that published three rounds in the 60s at Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course. The last time she had a lead after 54 holes came in 2024 at Toto Japan Classic, which she won before becoming a tour member.
Tied for second place 209 are Americans Gigi Stoll (68 on Saturday) and Auston Kim (70) together with Cassie Porter in Australia (72).
Kim had part of the first round, and Porter was on top of the top list together with Nasa Hataoka from Japan who went into Saturday. HATAOKA registered a 76 to fall into a draw for the 16th on 3-under couples.
In a tie for the fifth of 6-under 210, Japan’s Ayaka Furue and Mao Saigo, both with rounds of 70, as well as Minjee Lee from Australia (68) and Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul (68).
For Leada Takeda, it does not seem too large, despite its young age and lack of extensive LPGA tour experience.
“I’ve had three fantastic days with a lot of confidence, and I want to get that trust tomorrow and end on a strong remark,” she said.
“I don’t want to be too much attention to the point, but just take it holes with holes and do my best.”
Stoll, 28, is in his second season on the LPGA tour and looking for his first victory. She is ready for a Sunday battle, especially after having weather out and downs on Saturday.
She birded the first three and the last three holes. In between, she recorded two birds, two bogeys and a double bogey.
“Puttern has been hot. Definitely started a really good start like the first three,” she said. “Some things happened in the middle, but it was nice to close with three too.”
And as a Takeda, she goes into the last round with some confidence.
“Golf is fun,” she said. “It’s a long day. You can always come back and you are never really out.
Porter started the round at 7 and ended there and recorded a round similar to Stoll. The Tour beginner, who just made his second official LPGA tour start, mixed five birds, three bogeys and a double bogey to finish with 72.
“Yes, there was a lot of struggle out there. A little mess in the middle of the round, but we came back, so that’s all that matters,” Porter, 22.
-Field level media
