By Roy J. Akers – www.skyviewsports.net
Plainview, Mich. — Eleven players are within three shots of the lead and a six-way tie for first place makes it a shootout and will make players either gun for birdies early or play patient golf and the opinions run the gamut of the players in the mix.
Nanna Koerstz Madsen
After starting the round with six birdies in 16 holes with nary a bogey, Madsen tied and then went up by a stroke over Sagstrom. Her bogey on 17 took her out of the lead, and she settled for a six-way tie for first going into the final round. Nanna loves the Meijer. : I mean, like this tournament. I actually haven’t been back in four years, and then last year I had my one in four, so I came back and I was really surprised the how big the tournament has grown and how many spectators and how well they treat us players at the tournament. So I decided to come back again this year, and I just love this event,”
Madelene Sagstrom
Sagstrom did something most golfers will never do on Saturday. She had two eagles in three holes. One on the par five 4th and another eagle on the par four sixth. She eventually caught Sofia Garcia, who also started out hot but sputtered on the back nine. She is also in the six-way tie for first. There is 11 players within three shots of the lead. It is going to be a barn burner tomorrow. Do you feel
like you have to start off quick tomorrow or just going to take your chances as they come up?
MADELENE SAGSTROM: I don’t think so. I think you have to stay patient. There is a lot of good opportunities on the golf course. So keeping numbers off the scorecard, you can probably make a bogey here and there, but the par-5s, if you can take advantage of those out here it’s a huge advantage for your score. I mean, you have 18 as a great example. If you hit a good drive there you can have an eagle opportunity coming into the end tomorrow. I think it’s more about staying patient and not really get ahead of yourself. Like you said it’s a crowded leaderboard. It’s up to — anyone can win this.”
Sofia Garcia
Garcia put together a sizzling front nine 31 and took a three-shot lead over the field, and earned another birdie on ten. Her back-to-back bogeys on 13 and 14 repelled her back to a tie with Sagstrom.
Lexi Thompson
Thompson putted for eagle and a share of the lead on 18 and came close, before settling for birdie on the round. Her rounds of 68-69-68 put her at -11 going into Sunday. She narrowly lost the tournament in 2024, and is determined not to let this tournament slip away. Thompson had three consecutive birdies on holes 4-5-6 with a pitching helping her cause. She hopes not to need her short game as much on Sunday. . Lexi, it’s a very crowded leaderboard; 11 players within three strokes of the lead. Is this a tournament where you feel like anybody can win, or do you feel like you owe — after last year, you came so close to winning, you feel like this year could be Lexi’s year? LEXI THOMPSON: I mean, I’m just going to go out tomorrow and hope for the best. Of course it was a close call last year, but it’s fair game tomorrow. Everybody is going to come out swinging. Good weather tomorrow, so I know birdies will have to be made and I’ll have to go pin seeking. I will hope for the best, go out there and embrace the opportunity, and really love on the fans.”
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Competition Highlights by Leaders
COMPETITION HIGHLIGHTS
- T1: Six players are tied at 11-under par heading into the final round
o Madelene Sagstrom shot the lowest round of the six with a 67
▪ Carded two eagles, four birdies, three bogeys - Was the only player to record two eagles on Saturday
- Made eagle on Nos. 4 and 6
- Was five-under from holes 4 to 8
- Shot a 31 on the front nine
▪ Hit 7/13 fairways, 13/18 greens in regulation with 28 putts
▪ Is the only player through 54 holes to record three eagles
▪ T2 with the least number of putts through 54 holes (82 putts)
o Nanna Koerstz Madsen shot a second consecutive 68
▪ Had six birdies and four bogeys- Was six-under par through first 16 holes on Saturday
- Made back-to-back bogeys on holes 17 and 18
- Reached 13-under par before last two holes
▪ Hit 7/13 fairways, 17/18 greens in regulation with 33 putts - Hit the most greens in regulation of any player on Saturday (17/18)
▪ Has recorded the most birdies of any player through 54 holes (18 birdies)
▪ Has not made an eagle in any round
▪ T1 in most greens hit in regulation through three rounds (45/54)
o Lexi Thompson shot 68 in round three
▪ Recorded seven birdies and three bogeys - Made three consecutive birdies on holes 4, 5 and 6
- Had back-to-back birdies on holes 10 and 11
- Made two birdies in her last three holes to tie the lead
- Bogeys on Nos. 3, 9 and 14
- T1 for most birdies made on Saturday (7 birdies)
▪ Hit 6/13 fairways, 11/18 greens in regulation with 26 putts - T1 for least putts needed on Saturday
▪ T2 for most birdies made through 54 holes of play (16 birdies)
o Sofia Garcia turned in her second round in the 60s, a third-round 68
▪ Had an eagle, five birdies and three bogeys- Made an eagle on No. 4
- Recorded three consecutive bogeys on holes 13, 14 and 15
- Made a birdie on her last hole to tie the lead
▪ Hit 7/13 fairways, 15/18 greens in regulation with 30 putts
▪ T2 for most birdies made through 54 holes of play (16 birdies)
o Hye-Jin Choi recorded a bogey-free 69
▪ Had three birdies on holes 8, 9 and 14
▪ Was the only player to record a bogey-free round on Saturday
▪ Hit 10/13 fairways, 13/18 greens in regulation with 30 putts
▪ Has only recorded two bogeys through 54 holes of competition
o Carlota Ciganda recorded her third consecutive round in the 60s, a 69
▪ Had four birdies and one bogey- Bogeyed her first hole, No. 1
- Birdied holes 8, 10, 12 and her last hole, 18
▪ Hit 10/13 fairways, 14/18 greens in regulation with 30 putts - Did not record a three-putt on Saturday
▪ T2 for most birdies made through 54 holes of play (16 birdies)
