LPGA: Azahara Munoz makes progress on moving day at Canadian Pacific Women's Open
Sunday 24 August 2014 07:54, UK
Spain's Azahara Munoz equalled the course record with a 63 in the third round of the Canadian Pacific Women's Open but still trails So Yeon Ryu by four strokes.
Munoz carded nine birdies, six of them in a seven-hole run on the back-nine to match the best score at London Hunt and Country Club in Ontario - leader Ryu had set the mark in Thursday's opening round.
She overcame trouble at the par-five fourth, where she hit her approach into the water but got up and down for par, and birdied the fifth and seventh before her storming run back to the clubhouse.
Further strokes were picked up at 11 and 12, and after a par at the 13th, she birdied the next four holes before closing with a par.
"The key of my round was on (hole No.) 4, I was going for it in two with a 4-iron and I hit in the water," Munoz said. "But I kept it calm, I knew I could still make up and down for par, so I did, and after that everything just went my way.
"I was driving the ball really well, and I was hitting really good iron shots into the greens. I had so many chances. And then I made lots of putts, too. I made a couple really long ones and quite a few shorter ones."
But despite her brilliant round, she still has an uphill task to catch Ryu, who has been in front for just about the entire tournament.
The Korean completed her third round in five-under par 67 but she did drop her first shot of the event, making a bogey at the third before six birdies made sure her lead going into the final 18 holes remains solid.
Ryu is on pace to snap the tournament record of 18 under set by Suzann Pettersen in 2009 and is within range of the LPGA Tour record of 26 under, which belongs to Annika Sorenstam.
"I think my lowest record is 29 under when I was 16 at the Asian Games," Ryu said. "If I have the chance I want to break my career record, and also if I can I want to break another LPGA record."
Her compatriot Na Yeon Choi is tied on 16-under with Munoz after a round of 66 with Inbee Park two strokes further back on 14-under.
