Ashleigh Buhai kept herself inside the top 10 on Saturday in the third round of the LPGA Tour’s HSBC Women’s World Championship in Thailand with a level-par 72 leaving her at eight-under-par for the tournament.
Her three birdies, a bogey and a double-bogey left her six strokes off the lead, which was held by Korean Jin Young Ko. Ko carded a second successive seven-under-par 65 to reach 14-under, two strokes clear of Nelly Korda of the United States, who had a four-under 68. Americans Allisen Corpuz and Elizabeth Szokol were in a share of third on 11-under, while halfway leader Danielle Kang was fifth on 10-under.
It was Buhai’s putting which stood between her and a position closer to the lead, as she took 33 putts in the third round compared to 30 and 29 in the first two rounds. That was after hitting all the fairways off the tees, and hitting 16 of 18 greens in regulation.
Paula Reto remained right near the bottom of the field after a second successive two-over-par 74. She was in 64th on nine-over for the tournament.
