October 22-25
Reynolds Lake Oconee, Great Waters Course, Greensboro, Georgia
$1,300,000
Round 1, Round 2, Round 4

Overnight leader Ally McDonald started her third round at Reynold Lake Oconee on the wrong foot with a bogey on the opening hole. Birdies on the 5th, 8th and 9th put her back in the lead and she held on to it for the rest of the day in spite of a bogey on the 17th.

“Missed it a little right of the pin,” she said of her approach on the 9th. “But that's exactly why I have the strategy that I do, because I'm not going to hit it exactly where I want to every single time. I was looking a little left and a little past the pin and I hit it a little short and a little right, and just so happened it was four feet right of the hole; was able to roll that in.

McDonald holds the 54-hole lead for the first time in her career.

“I played some really solid golf after I kind of settled in. Made a few bad swings towards the end of the round, but I'm not going to discredit how I really did settle in and played solid golf for most of my holes. So I'm excited with the position I'm in. Mentally I think I handled myself really well. Ready to take on tomorrow.” 

Rookie Bianca Pagdanganan, playing alongside McDonald and Danielle Kang, is one shot back at 12-under.

“I was just like telling my caddie, I was telling Brandon, it's fine if the putts aren't dropping, but I'm giving myself really, really good opportunities. Eventually they're going to have to drop. Probably take a little more time to read the green. But after I made the putt on 17 I was judge I can oh, my goodness, like finally. Like literally a sigh of relief. Coming into 18 I was like, okay, just hit a good drive and give yourself another good chance to make a birdie. ”

Kang closed with a 70, two shots behind McDonald. Her round included two bogeys on the 2nd and 10th holes and a double bogey at the 16th.

“I'm very frustrated today, but there was a lot of up and downs. But I think I handled the curve balls pretty well. Good to finish on a birdie.”

Kang has been in good form this year placing in the top 15 at six of the ten events played this year.

“The swing felt, it didn't feel quite all there, so I'm going to go tweak it today and hit it better tomorrow. I think tomorrow, getting everything together and just firing from the start will be pretty key. The other two girls are playing pretty well, so I've got to focus on my game. Everyone's game is very different. I can't really worry about them.”

Carlota Ciganda carded a single bogey and five birdies to close with a 68 and solo fourth place.