Aditi Ashok of India hits a tee shot on the third gap.| Photo Credit: David Berding/Getty Images/AFP

Chennai

GOLF

Aditi shoots 72, stays in hunt for one more top-10 end at LPGA Classic

Aditi Ashok struggled to search out rhythm on the LPGA Classic in Belmont however nonetheless did nicely sufficient to convey residence a fair par 72 and keep on track for one more constructive end result.

Aditi, who has had a superb run to this point this yr, extra so within the final three months, hit fewer greens in regulation, and that meant fewer birdie alternatives on the tree-lined course.

After two bogey-free rounds on the primary two days, she had two birdies and two bogeys and was tied-13 with another spherical to go, on the Blythefield Country Club.

Following rounds of 68-67-72, Aditi is 207 and has fallen six photographs behind chief Amy Yang, who birdied all 5 par 5s as she shot her third straight 5-under 67 to take a third-round lead.

Aditi, who has performed probably the most Majors by an Indian (women and men), can also be attributable to play two majors within the subsequent few weeks.

The Grand Rapids-area occasion is the ultimate match earlier than the key Women’s PGA subsequent week at Baltusrol and the US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach from July 6–9.

The 33-year-old chief Yang, who has received all 4 of her LPGA Tour titles in Asia, is searching for her first one within the United States. Yang bounced again from bogeys on the par-3 eleventh and thirteenth to birdie the par-5 14th, par-4 seventeenth, and par-5 18th to achieve 15-under 201.

The 34-year-old South African Ashleigh Buhai, who received the LPGA Classic final week, shot 66, which included an eagle on the 18th. Buhai is 14-under and one behind the chief.

Also tied for second with Buhai have been the second-round leaders, Japan’s Ayaka Furue (69) and China’s Xiyu Lin (66).

It was a bogey-free day for Xiyu Lin, who carded a 6-under 66 on a transferring day. Lin made six birdies in spherical three, 4 of which got here on the 4 par 5s, as she rose from T-12 right into a tie for second at 14-under.

Ariya Jutanugarn (66), Hyo Joo Kim (69), and Leona Maguire (69) have been 13 beneath, and the defending champion Jennifer Kupcho (69) was 12 beneath, with Manon De Roey (69) and Lindsey Weaver-Wright (69).

Kupcho had an eagle and 4 birdies however made three bogeys for the second day in a row.

- Press Trust of India