Adelaide: An even-par 73 on the third day kept Thailand's Pornanong Phatlum in the hunt for her first LPGA title as she held on to a tie for second place at the Women's Australian Open yesterday.
American Lizette Salas seized the outright lead after the third round as world No.1 Lydia Ko fell even further behind at Royal Adelaide.
Salas, ranked 71, stormed to 10 under with three birdies on her final five holes for a two-under 71 in the LPGA-sanctioned event.
She finished with five birdies and two bogeys to lead by two strokes from Australians Su Oh and Sarah Jane Smith along with Pornanong, all on eight under.
Pornanong has come close to breaking through, finishing runner-up four times.
A victory today would put Pornanong over the US$3 million career earnings mark and would make her the second Thai winner on the tour after Ariya Jutanugarn, the world No.2 who claimed five trophies last year.
Ariya was six shots off the lead in a tie for 14th place after a two-under 71, her third sub-par round of the tournament. She had four birdies and two bogeys, while her sister Moriya ended the third round tied for 30th after a 72.
Salas played a superb back nine and grabbed the lead when she made consecutive birdies at the 14th and 15th before extending the margin when she two-putted for another birdie on the par-five 17th hole.
The American, whose parents are Mexican immigrants, has been strident in her social media criticism of US President Donald Trump's immigration policy, although she diplomatically stayed out of that debate at her post-round media conference.
"It would be such an honour and it would be my first win overseas, my first win with my dad here," Salas said. "On 18 my hands were a little numb. I was just trying to relax and stay patient."
Ko's charge looks all but over after an even-par round in the morning groups.
The New Zealander was running out of holes as she tried to close the gap on the leaders, but she posted just two birdies against two bogeys in an uneventful round.
"I think I was playing a couple of yards for the coolness and the temperature itself, but it wasn't easy," Ko said.
Ko admitted her work off her tee let her down as she tried to get back into contention.
The next event will be the Honda LPGA Thailand which begins Thursday. Bangkok Post/afp