Overnight leader Charley Hull carded a 71 on another difficult day at Old American Golf Club with firm fairways, fast greens and challenging hole locations.
Xiyu Lin is playing for Tour win #1
Charley Hull is playing for Tour win #2
Will either of them raise the trophy tomorrow in Texas? pic.twitter.com/HbXyzuphej
— LPGA (@LPGA) October 2, 2022
The Englishwoman retains a share of the lead in The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America alongside first-round leader Xiyu Lin of China who closed with a 69 to move to 11-under.
“I pushed my drive a little bit (on 10). Hit the cart path, went into the rough, and then had to take a drop,” said Hull. “Was a bit of an awkward drop because of where the path is. I knew I was hitting it well, so didn’t really think too much of it. It can wobble your confidence a little bit, but I didn’t let it bother me. I just hung in there and got around level par, so it wasn’t too bad.”
Lin, aiming for her first win, has finished in the top-10 four times this season, including a season best second-place at the Kroger Queen City Championship.
“It’s exciting and nervous at the same time. But I’ve been experience it a couple time this year, so I think I’m getting more comfortable about it,” said Lin. “If I win, I probably will find the ingredient. Just right now, I’m obviously happy every week I put myself in good positions. So as is right now, just going to give myself all the credits about it. Like keep telling myself how good I am right now, and tomorrow I’m definitely in the mix, definitely have a chance.”
New Zealand’s Lydia Ko (67) and France’s Celine Boutier (66) sit one stroke behind the leaders at 10-under.
Superb short game ✨
Lydia Ko makes the tough shots look easy
Watch now on @GolfChannel! pic.twitter.com/tO9wPORGbA
— LPGA (@LPGA) October 1, 2022
Boutier fired the second-lowest round of the day (Ruoning Yin of China, in T19, shot a 6-under 65).
“I honestly just took advantage of the opportunities that I had. I feel like I played very solid,” said Boutier. “I definitely missed some out there, but I just feel like because my long game was so solid, I just trusted myself that I would make some at some point.”
Canadian Maddie Szeryk , who was born and lives in Texas, shot her second 4-under round of the week and holds solo fifth heading into the final round. Szeryk got into the field this week as an alternate and is not only looking for her first win but also CME points. She is currently 163 in the Race to CME Globe standings and needs to be in the top 100 to maintain her LPGA Tour Membership for 2023.
“I’m happy to be playing, and last week just barely missed getting in; next week is still up in the air,” said Szeryk. “So just the same mindset of ‘it is what it is’ and I’m doing my best that I can. Just trying to enjoy it. The cut off is coming up, but I’m just trying to focus on my game and just playing and just having fun really.”
