Kuala Lumpur, Oct 28 (PTI) Aditi Ashok’s scores continued to take a massive swing yet again as she bounced back with a 68 at the Maybank Championship here on Saturday.
Aditi who was 5-under on the first day and then dropped to 3-over for two rounds is again 1-under after three rounds and placed tied 58th.
After two triples on the second day, the third round was a big relief with five birdies and only one bogey. The four-time LET winner continues to search for her first win on the LPGA, though she is now in the Top-40 of the LPGA Order of Merit.
Rookie sensation Rose Zhang will hold the lead after a well-fought battle for the top spot. The last time the 20-year-old Zhang held a 54-hole lead on Tour, she walked away with a win at her professional debut at the Mizuho Americas Open.
Her rounds of 65s on the first and third days are new career-low rounds on Tour, her two day score of 133 was a new 36-hole record for the rookie. The 54-hole total of 198 is another new mark.
With one day left to play in Malaysia, she will look to continue the trend and earn her second LPGA Tour victory in just her 12th start this season.
Zhang had to battle the 100-degree heat and humidity and her playing partner Jasmine Suwannapura. The two matched each other nearly shot-for-shot starting from the very beginning of the day.
If Suwannapura made three birdies in a row on holes 1, 2 and 3, Zhang had a streak of her own on No. 2, 3 and 4.
As Zhang shot 65, Suwannapura carded 67. In between was Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand, who shot 62 and is now tied for second with Suwannapura. Zhang is 18-under, while the two Thais, Suwannapura and Atthaya are 17-under.
Korean golfer Sei Young Kim holds the solo fourth place spot at 15-under. Three players are tied for fifth including Nasa Hataoka, Megan Khang and Peiyun Chien.
Source: PTI News
