Amy Yang keeps her lead at U.S. Women’s Open

Lancaster, Pa. —  On a day with a match-play feel, Amy Yang shot a one-under-par 69 and maintained a three-shot lead over Stacy Lewis through three rounds of the U.S. Women’s Open.

Paired in Saturday’s final grouping, Yang answered every time Lewis tried to trim her three-shot deficit at Lancaster Country Club. Yang, at eight-under 202, and Lewis, at 205, will be paired again Sunday.

Yang, who shared the lead after 54 holes last year, opened a four-stroke lead at the 13th before Lewis capitalized on a two-stroke swing at the 14th, closing within two. But Lewis had a three-putt bogey at the 17th en route to a 69, giving Yang a three-stroke advantage heading into the final round.

In Gee Chun, a 20-year-old South Korean playing in her first U.S. Open, shot a 68 and is alone in third place at 206. Japan’s Shiho Oyama is at three under after a 71.

Defending champion Michelle Wie played through hip and ankle pain, firing a 68. She is in a four-way tie for fifth at two under, along with two-time winner Inbee Park (70).

“It was good experience, the last two — the final group experience,” she said. “Me and my coach, we prepared. We practiced hard. I’ll go out there and I’ll just do my best, like what I practice.”

Lewis, a two-time major winner, figures she needs to solve the slippery, sloping greens of Lancaster Country Club if she’s to overtake Yang.

“It’s just the severity of these greens,” said Lewis, who is tied for 26th with 96 putts over three rounds. “And the moment you do try to hit one of those down the hill, that’s when you knock it five feet by. I don’t think the speed of the greens is that inconsistent, I just think it’s the slope within the greens.”

Choi shoots a 29 on front nine

Chella Choi’s favorite color is orange, yet it was the red numbers the South Korean posted Saturday at the U.S. Women’s Open that was drawing all the attention.

Choi, using an orange golf ball, shot the first nine-hole score of 29 in Women’s Open history and missed a chance to share another record when she missed a three-foot putt on her final hole that would have matched the championship’s single-round scoring mark.

Choi wasn’t aware that her par putt at No. 18 would have tied the championship scoring record of 63 by Helen Alfredsson in 1994. But, after her par try horseshoed out, Choi shrugged off the miss and moved on.

“It’s really close, right? Tomorrow I have one more day, right?” she said.