Linn Grant rolled in a pair of 15-foot putts amongst her 5 birdies that carried her to a five-under 65 on Saturday for a one-shot lead in The Annika as she tries to increase her streak to 6 years with a minimum of one win worldwide.
Grant missed just one inexperienced and two fairways at Pelican Golf Membership, choosing up her final birdie when she acquired up-and-down from a greenside bunker on the par 5 14th.
She was at 14-under 196, one shot forward of Jennifer Kupcho, who additionally performed bogey free on a pristine afternoon within the Tampa Bay space.
Nataliya Guseva of Russia made all seven of her birdies over the ultimate 10 holes for a 63 that left her two photographs behind together with Evian Championship winner Grace Kim (68).
Jennifer Kupcho and Linn Grant hugged after the third spherical of The Annika (Photograph by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire) (Icon Sportswire through AP Photographs)
“I hit a lot of greens, I think that’s been my secret this week,” Grant stated.
“Just really being very confident with my iron game, feeling like I can really go after pins. I’m having a lot of fun out there.”
She has gone 35 holes with out a bogey heading into the ultimate spherical, the place the 26-year-old Swede will go after her second LPGA win.
Grant, who performed at Arizona State, has gained on the Nordic Golf League twice as an newbie, the Sunshine Women Tour in South Africa, the Women European Tour and the LET Entry Collection courting to 2020.
Grant is working out of time for a win in 2025, with solely this occasion and the CME Group Tour Championship left on the LPGA schedule.
Kupcho stayed along with her for a lot of the day, although she complained about having to attend on too many photographs, attributing the tempo to the course enjoying about 100 yards shorter.
Jennifer Kupcho wasn’t pleased with “having to wait on every shot.” (Photograph by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire) (Icon Sportswire through AP Photographs)
“I think the setup was still fine, they do a really good job setting up this golf course every year,” Kupcho stated.
“But it’s a little frustrating when you’re the leaders or in the back of the pack and having to wait on every shot.”
Defending champion Nelly Korda, winless this yr after seven titles a yr in the past, overcame some early bogeys with three birdies in a four-hole stretch towards the tip of her spherical to maneuver nearer to the lead.
However her 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th gap grazed the lip, and he or she missed the 4 foot par putt coming again and shot 68.
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Highlights from day two of The Annika on the Pelican Golf Membership, Florida
Korda, who shot a 63 within the second spherical to get inside three of the lead, was six photographs behind.
“Today was kind of like the first day where nothing was really kind of going but then found a few maybe on the last few holes and then ended the round poorly,” Korda stated.
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