LOS ANGELES (AP) — Akie Iwai shot an 8-under 64 playing alongside her twin sister Saturday for a share of the third-round lead in the JM Eagle LA Championship with Lauren Coughlin and Ingrid Lindblad.
Coughlin made a 5-foot birdie putt on par-4 18th for a 66, and Lindblad — tied for the second-round lead with Ashleigh Buhai after a career-best 63 — shot 68 to match Iwai at 17-under 199 at El Caballero Country Club.
Top-ranked Nelly Korda was three strokes back after a closing three-putt bogey in her final start before her title defense next week in Houston in the major Chevron Championship.
Iwai, the 22-year-old Japanese player in her first season on the LPGA Tour, holed a 60-yard wedge shot for eagle on the par-5 first and had six birdies in her bogey-free round.
“I want to just win the tournament,” the six-time JLPGA Tour winner said. “I want to win at least one tournament this year.”
Twin sister Chisato Iwai was tied for 12th at 11 under after a 70. The sisters earned LPGA Tour cards last year at the qualifying tournament, with Chisato finishing second and Akie tying for fifth.
Akie didn’t think it was an advantage or disadvantage playing with her sister.
“No change mind because just another player, opponent,” she said.
With the temperature in the mid-70s after barely getting into the 60s the previous two days, Coughlin birdied the first three holes and four of the first five. She parred the next 10 holes, then birdied two of the last three.
“Only one bogey for the first three days, so that’s always really good,” Coughlin said. “Made some really good par saves out there today and kind of in the middle of the round when I didn’t, kind of lost it there for a little while, but was able to steady it and keep it going there at the end.”
The 32-year-old player from Virginia won the CPKC Women’s Open and Women’s Scottish Open last year for her first LPGA Tour victories.
Lindblad had four back-nine birdies. The 25-year-old former LSU star from Sweden is in her first season on the tour.
“I think just need to like stay in my own bubble a little bit, don’t get too far ahead of myself,” Lindblad said. “Obviously, the goal is to win, but we can’t win tonight or on the first tee box tomorrow. So kind of just stay in the present and try to keep playing well.”
Ina Yoon, another LPGA Tour rookie, was fourth at 15 under after a 64.
Korda shot a 67 to get to 14 under. She had an eagle — hitting inside 2 feet on the par-5 16th — and four birdies in a back-nine charge muted by two bogeys — the last on 18 when she missed a 1 1/2-foot par try.
“Obviously, a little upset with my last putt on the last hole,” Korda said. “That’s just really unfortunate. Other than that, I hit some really solid shots. Made some good putts, too, but unfortunately did not make the last one. It stinks!”
Minjee Lee, the 2021 winner at Wilshire Country Club, also was 14 under along with Rio Takeda. Lee shot 70, and Takeda had a 64. Second-ranked Jeeno Thitikul had a 68 to top the group at 13 under.
Two-time defending champion Hannah Green was 11 under after a 69.
Buhai, tied for the lead after each of the first two rounds, had a 77 to drop into a tie for 39th at 8 under.
The tournament is the final event of the tour’s West Coast swing. It is being played at El Caballero because of renovations at Wilshire, with plans to return to Wilshire next season.
___
AP golf:
The post Akie Iwai shoots 64 playing alongside twin sister for share of the LPGA Tour lead at El Caballero appeared first on Associated Press.
