Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Teenager Lee Hyo-song posted a five-under 67 to propel Korea into a share of the lead with Spain after round three of the 30th Women’s World Amateur Team Championship.
The Koreans, who started the day two shots off the lead, and the Spaniards stand at 17-under-par 415, with Thailand one stroke back in solo third.
At the age of 14, Lee is the third-youngest player in the field this week. Winner of the last two Korean Women’s Amateurs and the 2022 Malaysian Amateur Open, she rode a hot putter at Abu Dhabi Golf Club with six birdies against one bogey while besting the field with 10 one-putts.
Korea, which is seeking its fourth Espirito Santo Trophy in the last seven competitions, added a 71 from Kim Min-sol, fourth in the women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), to bring the team’s third round tally to a six-under 138.
Seo Kyo-rim carded a non-counting 71 as only the best two of each team’s three scores count toward the day’s total.
“[Hyo-song] putted very well,” said Korean Captain Chang Se-hoon. “They’ve had great work this week and I want to thank them for their play today because of the hot weather.”
The three co-leaders heading into Friday’s third round struggled to get anything going during their opening nine holes. Australia, Spain and Thailand all made the turn with team scores at even-par or one-under, while Korea emerged as the solo leader with a nine-hole total of four-under.
Julia Lopez Ramirez, the reigning European Ladies’ Amateur champion, and world number two Cayetana Fernandez Garcia-Poggio led a back-nine charge for the Spaniards, combining for three birdies on the final three holes to jump back into a share of the lead.
Spain is seeking its first Espirito Santo Trophy since 1992 and first medal since 2012.
“We have a lot of golf left to play tomorrow,” said Lopez Ramirez. “We’re excited to be in the lead and to have the opportunity to win this tournament.”
Also making a run on the back nine was Thailand. Reigning Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific champion Eila Galitsky birdied the par-four 17th and par-five 18th to post a three-under 69 in addition to a 72 from Navaporn Soontreeyapas, who co-leads the individual scoring race.
“It’s the best feeling ever being in the final group and knowing that you have a chance to win the Espirito Santo Trophy,” said Galitsky. “Hopefully we can perform tomorrow.”
Chinese Taipei had the lowest team score on Friday and climbed six spots into fourth place (418) on the strength of a six-under 66 from Hsu Huai-chien and a 69 from Liao Hsin-chun.
Australia, the 36-hole co-leader, dropped into fifth place after an even-par 144, followed by England, who sits in sixth at 12-under 420.
Thailand’s Navaporn shares the individual lead with Chinese Taipei’s Hsu at 10-under 206. They are one stroke ahead of Spain’s Fernandez Garcia-Poggio, Avani Prashanth of India and Korean Seo.
Prashanath went 42 consecutive holes without a bogey (or worse) before surrendering her first on the par-three seventh hole. She went on to post her third sub-par round of the competition (68-68-71).
Winner of the low individual title at this year’s Queen Sirikit Cup, Prashanth said: “I’ve just played some pretty consistent golf. Today, not as many putts dropped. I missed a lot of putts inside 10-12 feet, but that’s okay, I can always go low tomorrow and get something done.
“It would be really inspiring for the younger girls back home to see that some other Indian girls can finish well here. If they see it done, then they can come the year after to better it. And it gives them the belief that India can compete.”