Womens World 2021 R3
April 29 - May 02
Sentosa Golf Club, Tanjong Course, Singapore
$1,600,000
Round 1, Round 2, Round 4

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Xiyu Lin birdied the final hole for a 66 to take the solo 54-hole lead at 14-under at the HSBC Women's World Championship. Lin, leading into the final round for the first time in her career, rebounded quickly after settling her nerves on the first hole.

Womens World 2021 R3

“The first hole I was really nervous. I thought like I'm going to hit longer because I'm nervous, but obviously I wasn't that nervous, so I left it short and left the putt short. So I just tell myself, like yesterday I had two bogeys and I bounced back with a birdie right away. I said, definitely I can do that,” said Lin. “Second hole was a tough pin but I managed to hit it at the right spot and make the putt. That was pretty huge.”

She went to make seven birdies, four of them in her last six holes, including a solid set-up on the 18th.

“The last hole, when I did the pin, I was thinking, wow, it was a tough one, but I didn't know they moved the tee up, so when I really got there and so it kind of gave me a new view of the hole because I never played here before. I hit a good drive and realize I still have a chance to go for it,” said Lin. “I was a little in-between clubs, but that wind fits my shape of shot perfectly and hit a cut and landed right next to the hole.”

Womens World 2021 R3

Overnight co-leader Inbee Park got off to a hot start with four birdies in her first nine holes, but struggled at the turn. After holding the lead for much of Saturday, she doubled the 16th - her second double bogey of the 2021 season – to drop out of the top spot. A birdie on the last hole left her in a tie for second along with major champion Hannah Green at 13-under.

“The putting overall today was not that bad. Just one missed shot, the third shot on No. 16. Yeah, I think it's coming along,” said Park. “It was a great birdie on No. 18. That really got me probably have a chance to win tomorrow, so I think that was really huge. Tomorrow obviously we have a lot of girls in the top it's going to be a shootout, whoever plays good tomorrow is going to win.”

Womens World 2021 R3

Green shot a second-consecutive 6-under 66, but the Australian's favorite moment of the day came from an eagle at the 10th.

“I guess it's been quite a long time since I've holed out from the fairway from quite some distance. I hit my tee shot into the right rough. Had an 8-iron in and it hit the pin. Bounced, hit the pin and went in. That was a nice bonus,” said Green. “I do think if it didn't hit the pin, it was going to race a little by it, probably still on the green. Yeah, that was a lot of fun and gave me some good momentum to make a couple par saves on the next two holes.”

Womens World 2021 R3

Gaby Lopez tied her season-best round with a 65 to sit in fourth heading into Sunday. Three major champions are tied for fifth at 10-under – In Gee Chun, Lydia Ko and So Yeon Ryu.

LPGA Tour winners Madelene Sagstrom, Amy Yang and Hyo Joo Kim are 9-under overall, five shots out of the lead in a tie for eighth. 

Hee Young Park , who co-led heading into Saturday, fell into a tie for 21st after a quadruple bogey at the 16th and five additional bogeys on the back-nine to finish 7over and at 4-under overall. Defending champion Sung Hyun Park is T52 at 3-over.

Womens World 2021 R3