Lydia Ko of New Zealand finally played like the No. 1 player in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.
The 18-year-old Ko, who has struggled a bit this year on the LPGA Tour, recorded a bogey-free 67 on Saturday to grab a three-stroke lead over Brittany Lang and South Koreans Jenny Shin and Sung Hyun Park in the Kia Classic at Aviara Golf Club in Carlsbad, Calif.
Ko, who has not been at her best since winning the ISPS Handa Australian Open more than a month ago, took the lead with three birdies in a row through 13 holes.
She finished her round with five consecutive pars, sinking a 10-foot putt in the final hole for a 54-hole total of 14-under 202.
Park collected six birdies on the last seven holes, but drove into trouble and took a double bogey 7 on the 17th hole in a 68, while Lang stumbled on the back nine with four bogeys en route to a 70, and 36-hole leader Shin had two birdies on the back nine to salvage a 71.
Second-ranked Inbee Park of South Korean had only one bogey in her 70 and was four shots back in solo fifth, while Jessica Korda overcame a double bogey 6 on the fourth hole and was another stroke behind in sixth.
Suzann Pettersen of Norway had four birdies on the back nine in a 66 and was six strokes down in a tie for seventh with Na Yeon Choi and Mi Jung Hur, both of South Korea, and Haru Nomura of Japan, after all three posted 69s.
