Naples, Fla. — Lexi Thompson has control of the CME Group Tour Championship, and Ariya Jutanugarn is in control of just about everything else.
Thompson’s 4-under-par 68 on Saturday pushed her to 16 under after three rounds of the LPGA’s season-ending event. She moved three shots clear of Nelly Korda and six ahead of Carlota Ciganda at Tiburon Golf Club. Korda shot her second consecutive 67 to get to 13 under, and Ciganda grinded out a 69 to get to 10 under for the week.
Thompson has been nearly flawless this week. Her only dropped shot of the tournament came on Saturday when she made bogey at the par-4 fourth hole, then put together five birdies over the rest of her round.
“Golf is all about momentum,” Thompson said.
Right now, she has an abundance of that going for her. For the week, she has 14 birdies, one eagle and the one bogey. She’s been calm and collected with her newly purchased Havanese Poodle around this week, finding a rhythm with an old putter and having her brother Curtis as her caddie.
“I just tried to keep the same attitude as I did the last two days,” Thompson said. “Curtis kept me nice and relaxed. He’s always cracking jokes out there. It’s been a nice relaxing week just having him on the bag and having all my family and friends out here supporting me.”
If Thompson hangs on today, she’ll have her first win of the season.
If Jutanugarn keeps things together, she’ll leave with plenty of prizes as well.
Jutanugarn will start her final round 10 shots back but leading the projected Race to the CME Globe standings and in position to claim the $1 million bonus for winning the LPGA’s season-long points race — which would be her second in three years. Jutanugarn already has clinched player of the year and is nearly mathematically assured of winning the Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average on tour.
The Vare Trophy isn’t hers yet, but it would take the most improbable of outcomes for that to slip away from Jutanugarn in the final round of the season. The two closest players to Jutanugarn in the season scoring standings are Minjee Lee and Jin Young Ko; either of them would have to beat the world’s No. 1 player by about 30 strokes on Sunday to pass her in the Vare race.
PGA Tour
Howell Ahead in Ga.
St. Simons Island, Ga. — Charles Howell III had a 2-under 68 for a one-shot lead on Saturday in the RSM Classic, along with a reminder that winning for the first time in more than 11 years won’t be easy.
With two quick birdies, Howell stretched his lead to five shots.
By the end of the third round, his lead was down to one shot over PGA Tour rookie Cameron Champ and Jason Gore, who each shot 66 and made up ground on the back nine of the Seaside course at Sea Island.
Howell was at 16-under 194 as he tries to end 332 starts on the PGA Tour without winning.
Elsewhere
Ancer Answers Down Under
Sydney — Abraham Ancer shot a 7-under 65 on Saturday to leave Matt Kuchar and Woodstock native Keegan Bradley and the rest of the Australian Open field well behind after three rounds.
The Mexican golfer had a five-birdie stretch mid-round, then added two late birdies to finish with a 13-under total of 203 and a five-shot lead going into Sunday’s final round at The Lakes.
Japan amateur Keita Nakajima was in second place after 70, while Bradley was tied for third with Australian veteran Marcus Fraser. They were six strokes behind after 71s.
Kuchar, who trailed by a stroke after the second round, shot 73 Saturday and was tied for fifth, seven behind Ancer.
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