Inbee Park was on 59-watch early on Saturday when she started birdie-birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie in round three of the Bank of Hope Founders Cup.
While she cooled off a bit with two birdies over her next 12 holes, she closed with a 15-foot birdie on 18 to lead at 14-under.
Park turned in a season-best 9-under, 63. It’s her best round on the LPGA since the 2014 Fubon LPGA Taiwan when she posted a 62.
The highlight of the round was the eagle on three sandwiched in between the flurry of early birdies. She holed out from 98 yards with a 50-degree wedge.
"I got off to a great start, I was pretty much making everything I was looking at," said Park, the 18-time LPGA winner. "I cooled off on the back and it was pretty much boring golf, but it was nice to finish with a birdie."
Park, who is widely considered one of the great putters of all-time, made a change this week to an Anser style putter in preparation for the ANA Inspiration.
"I changed because I think I was getting used to the mallet style putter and I wasn't really seeing the mistakes," explained Park. "I wanted to see what I was doing wrong, what my stroke was doing and with the Anser I can do that. I didn't want to change the week of a major so I wanted to try it out for a couple weeks first."
Mariajo Uribe is in second place at 13-under while Ariya Jutanugarn is in third at 12-under.
Dame Davies with Her Best Round in 13 Years
Laura Davies did something on Saturday at the Bank of Hope Founders Cup that she hasn’t done in 13 years. She turned in a bogey-free 9-under, 63 to move from a tie for 39th to the lead at one point before Inbee Park moved in front.
“I hit a lot of fairways and that gives you a chance to get relatively close to the hole,” said Davies, who changed to the claw grip with the putter in Arkansas last year. “I haven’t been holing the putts, but today I did. The no bogeys part for me is the biggest key because that is what has been letting me down."
Davies made seven birdies and an eagle and had a stretch of five birdies in six holes to close her front nine.
The last time Davies posted a 63 was the third round of the 2005 Wendy’s Championship for Children.
In her 32nd year playing the LPGA, the 54-year-old continues to show that she is not done yet.
“It’s been in my mind and I know I can still play great golf, but it is all about the short game,” said Davies, who attempted just 24 putts. “My short game is really coming around and a day like this tells me that we are really doing the right things.”
Mariajo Uribe Thought About Skipping Event; She's in Second
Mariajo Uribe was thinking about skipping the Bank of Hope Founders Cup. It's no disrespect to the tournament, Wildfire Golf Club has just not been friendly to her over the years. She is sure glad she decided to play as she posted a 5-under, 67 on Saturday to move into solo second at 13-under.
"I was even thinking of not coming this year, but I came earlier," explained Uribe, who will go for her first career win Sunday. "My caddie (Andy Techmeier) lives here, so we practiced a lot the advance week. My putting is going well, and that's all that matters on this golf course."
Uribe missed the cut at the Founders Cup in 2017 with rounds of 69-72. In fact, she also missed the cut in 2016.
"The other years it's not that I played bad, you have to shoot a lot under on this course to be in contention. So just trusting that and taking into account the grain. I didn't do that before because they're not like bermuda greens where you're actually thinking about the green, but it affects a lot."
Uribe will play in a final group for the third time in her career.
Tiffany Joh Makes a Hole-In-One; Celebrating at In-N-Out
It’s amazing what a difference a day can make.
On Friday, Tiffany Joh shanked a 7-iron on the par-3 fourth. On Saturday, she ripped a perfect 5-iron and made an ace on the very same hole. The fourth was playing 166 yards on Saturday.
It propelled her to a flawless 8-under, 64.
“Honestly, it was just a really solid 5-iron,” said Joh. “I have awful sight, but I saw it disappear.”
Since Joh was playing with one of her best friends, Jane Park, the celebration was epic.
“I think first I ran and tackled Jane and then I high-fived like every single person walking onto the green.”
It was her eighth career hole-in-one.
It might be an expensive Saturday night for Joh as tradition requires the person that made the ace to buy adult beverages for her friends.
“This is the worst holiday to be making a hole in one,” joked Joh about St. Patrick’s Day. “You’ll go broke buying everyone green beers.”
Instead, it sounds like a trip to In-N-Out is in store to celebrate the hole-in-one.
Joh moved from a tie for 39th into the top 10.
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