CINCINNATI – Ally Ewing took the lead on Saturday with a quick start. She maintained her position on a wet course Saturday for a 5-under score of 67 to gain a one shot lead. Maria FassiIn the Kroger Queen City Championship.
Ewings first order in this seasons LPGA Tour season is making sure she is among the 60 who reach final event. She has done that every year since 2017. A win would do the trick.
Ewing is not in the top 10, but she was flawless at Kenwood Country Club. Ewing has six birdies, was bogey-free up to the last hole, and played even longer than the 446 yards due to the soggy conditions.
She missed the green due to a metal to her right, had very limited green to work with, and pitched approximately 18 feet from the hole.
Ewing was 16-under 200. Fassi, the dynamic Mexican swing player who matched Ewings 67, was close behind. Fassi will be playing in the final group Sunday with Ewing for a chance at her first LPGA championship.
Fassi snatched the lead at par-5 15th, after she had accidentally missed the green to the left with a pin tucked to one side of a bunker. She hit a flop shot and it landed just short of the hole.
Fassi displayed her length on the 18th green, using only a 5-iron to reach it. This was a hole that could have been a stumbling block for other chances.
Megan Khang (69), Sarah Kemp (70), and Megan Khang (79) both hit a metallic and missed the green. They each made bogey and fell four shots behind. Kemp and Khang are attempting to win the LPGA Tour for their first time.
Khang finished one shot behind Gary Lopez at the Dana Open a week ago as the final group struggled.
We saw Gaby, Gaby, and myself fighting it out in our group last week, and I think that we were like third to fourth to last group. Its all golf. Khang stated that anything is possible. All you have to do is stay true to yourself and give yourself every chance.
Ewing, who has won two LPGA titles in her career so far, started the third round with one shot to spare. However, she quickly recovered with a pair birdies and another on the par-5 4th hole. Ewing birdied all four Par 5s.
Xiyu Lin was three shots behind with a 70.
Ariya JutanugarnHad a 69, and was in the 12-under 202 group with Kemp Khang, Jeongeun Lee6 who had the 36 hole lead and struggled to a 72.
The final round in Cincinnati will be more soggy than usual. Cincinnati hasnt hosted the LPGA Tour here since 1989. The final round has seen the tee times moved up.
Ewing, 29, has won the LPGA at the Bank of Hope in each of the past two years.
LPGA Drive On Championship ?16 (66-68-69-69(equals)272) 1 stroke United States Danielle KangLPGA Match Play and the LPGA Drive On Championship were held last year.
Fassi, an Arkansas grad, will be competing in the final round. Fassi, a grad from Arkansas, was 97th in the Race to CME Globe. He has never won on tour.