Saso hardly gains despite 69 as lightning halts play anew

MANILA, Philippines — In day of changing fortunes, Chinese Xiyu Lin and Dane Nanna Madsen took charge, albeit provisionally, with blistering rounds before third round play in the Honda LPGA Thailand was halted again due to lightning in Chonburi Saturday.

Erstwhile joint leaders Nasa Hataoka of Japan and Aussie Su Oh, who produced superb 65s in weather delayed second round to stay at the helm for the second straight day, failed to flash their brilliance off the mound and on the greens with the former slowing down with a one-birdie, one-bogey card after 14 holes for a running 16-under total.

Earlier, Yuka Saso rallied with four backside birdies to salvage a 69 but the reigning US Women’s Open champion remained too far behind to contend a tied 34th with a nine-under 207 aggregate heading to the final 18 holes of the $1.6 million event capping the LPGA Tour’s two-leg Southeast Asian swing.

But Oh proved worse, hobbling with four bogeys in the first 11 holes before checking her slide with a birdie on No. 14 to tumble from the top to a share of 18th at 13-under overall, also with four holes to play.

Hataoka and Oh's third round stumble in pivotal day enabled Lin and Madsen to storm ahead with a running 19-under totals after 15 holes with the former banking on a four-birdie binge from No. 12 to go five-under in the day with three holes remaining and the latter rattling off four birdies in the first 15 holes.

French Celine Boutier also pressed her charge after a second 64 with a running three-under card for an 18-under overall with four holes left while Mexico’s Gaby Lopez sparkled with an eagle-spiked seven-under card for a 17-under total after 17 holes.

A slew of others also poised themselves for the big Sunday chase, including Canada’s Brooke Henderson, who also posted a running 17-under total on a five-under card with two holes left.

Lucy Li of the US turned in the only completed round among the contenders at 16-under 200 after a fiery 64.

Meanwhile, Saso hardly moved three rungs from tied 37th after 36 holes with the ICTSI-backed ace anchoring her fiery backside run with four birdies.

Saso looked headed for another so-so showing in moving day as she bogeyed No. 6 in a birdie-less frontside start. But she hit two superb shots to net a birdie on the par-5 10th, hit another crisp tee-shot that led to another birdie on the par-3 12th before snapping four pars with closing back-to-back birdies for a 37-32.

Her solid backside led to an inspiring 28-putt performance which she hopes to sustain in Sunday’s finale in an attempt to at least break into the Top 20 in an event she was tipped to contend. She missed six fairways and failed to reach regulation four times.

The reigning US Women’s Open champion, whose LPGA campaign is backed by ICTSI, also failed to contend in last week’s Women’s World Championship in Singapore where she struggled to finish tied at 43rd. She did launch a fine start here with a 68 but the likes of Oh and Hataoka proved a lot better with 63s to set the pace and sustain their charge in the next two days to stay at helm.