Hannah Green moved into a tie for second at the LA Championship on Saturday, shooting a five-under-par 67 in the third round to sit two strokes off the pace heading into the final day. The 29-year-old Australian now shares second with Suvichaya Vinijchaitham, Jessica Porvasnik and Ina Yoon after starting the round six shots back.
Sei Young Kim remained the player to catch at 15 under despite a shaky finish that turned a seven-shot cushion into a much tighter race. Kim carded a 71 and made four bogeys in her last five holes, while Green stayed in range with a round that was built more on damage control than precision. Green said she did not hit many greens and had to scramble, but a chip-in helped keep her moving and she left herself in decent position on most of the rest.
The tournament at Wilshire Country Club carries a $US3.75 million purse, and Green is trying to add a third LA Championship trophy after winning in 2023 and 2024. She has already won three worldwide events this year, including the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore, the Women’s Australian Open and the Australian WPGA, and a third straight title would deepen an already strong season.
Green also pointed to conditions that could matter on Sunday, saying the pin locations are likely to be tricky and that shifting wind has made the ball travel farther off the tee. That leaves her within striking distance, but she still needs the same kind of tidy scrambling that kept her in the hunt on Saturday if she is going to turn a chase into a three-peat.
