Paula Reto continued to improve on Saturday when she carded a two-under-par 70 in the third round of the LPGA Tour’s season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando, Florida.
Her six birdies and four bogeys left her in 23rd position in the 35-player field on level-par for the tournament after her first two rounds of 75 and 71. She was 12 strokes behind the leader, Lydia Ko of New Zealand after the former world number one pulled two shots clear of her closest rival with a four-under 68. American Alexa Pano was second on 10-under after her 67, and another American, Ally Ewing, was a further two shots back in third on eight-under.
Ashleigh Buhai carded a third round of one-under-par 71 to move to three-under for the tournament and a share of 15th.
Ko is on the precipice of earning her 20th career LPGA Tour victory, which would make the 15th player in tour history to win at least 20 titles. A win would give her an additional point towards LPGA Hall of Fame induction, which would make her one short of the 27-point threshold necessary to be enshrined.
