Minjee Lee leads the Australian contingent but little-known Japanese player Hanaka Shibuno is the one to catch on the final day of the AIG Women’s British Open at Woburn in England.
Lee and Hannah Green both had good days in the third round, the world No. 4 having two birdies and two bogeys in her even-par 72 and Green, Australia’s latest major champion, rolling the ball well in her four-under par 68 which included a hole-out for eagle at the par-four 12th.
Lee is at five-under par overall and Green at four-under.
But they are both out of the running unless the runaway leader, Japan’s rookie Hanaka Shibuno, has a bad day at Woburn today.
Shibuno, twice a winner on the Japanese tour this year but looking for her first-ever win on the LPGA Tour, shot a brilliant third-round 67 to overtake South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai and race to a two shot lead at 14-under par.
Buhai will play in the final group at 12-under while world No. 2 Sung Hyun Park is at 11-under and in the mix as well.
Shibuno hit all but one green and did an inward nine of 30, with six birdies, to take control on the third day.
“I passed the professional golfer’s test just last year in Japan and I really can’t understand why I am performing like this,” the 20-year-old Shibuno said afterward.
Of the other Australians remaining in the field, Su Oh is at even-par and Sarah Kemp at one-over par.