Chevron Championship: Haeran Ryu and Mao Saigo share third-round lead

Korea’s Haeran Ryu and Mao Saigo of Japan will head into Sunday’s final round of the Chevron Championship in a share of the lead as they both seek a first major title.

Ryu moved into contention at The Club at Carlton Woods thanks to four consecutive birdies from the sixth hole in her third round, finishing with a 68 to move to nine under.

“I was just trying for the good spots, for the easy putts, and I wanted to try to make some birdies. That was good for me,” said the 24-year-old, who led by a shot going into last year’s final round but shot a 74 to finish fifth.

“Last year the final round for me was not good. But I learned to be more calm and more comfortable and more slow. This year I wish to be more enjoying the course.”

Saigo shot a 69, parring her way home after a birdie at the 13th to match Ryu’s total.

“The course condition was pretty hard. It was pretty difficult to make birdies so I kind of struggled,” she said. “Two of them were chip-in birdies from outside, so I was pretty lucky.”

American Lindy Duncan stood one shot back on eight under, with her compatriot Sarah Schmelzel and China’s Yan Liu, the halfway leader, a further stroke back.

Yan shared the lead at nine under until a double bogey at the par-three 17th, where she found a bunker and then chipped into the rough.

Defending champion Nelly Korda sits nine shots back on level par after a round of 71 that included back-to-back double bogeys at the third and fourth holes.