Naples: Ariya Jutanugarn thrust herself into contention for her second title of the year and the US$1 million bonus after claiming a share of the lead at the season-ending LPGA Tour Championship on Saturday.
Starting the day seven shots off the pace, the world No.9 Ariya produced a bogey-free third-round 67 at the Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida, collecting five birdies on Nos.2, 3, 6, 7 and 14 to surge up the leaderboard.
Ariya was in a four-way tie with Kim Kaufman (64), Michelle Wie (66) and Suzann Pettersen (69) at 10-under 206 heading into the final round.
Ariya, who won the $1 million bonus last year, still has a shot at the big bounty on offer for the Race to the CME Globe crown. But the Thai needs to win and hope the other results to go her way.
"Today was pretty solid and I made a few putts on the front nine," said Ariya, who won her only title of the year -- and sixth overall -- at the Manulife Classic in June.
After a rollercoaster year, Ariya, who will turn 22 this Thursday, is feeling good with her game again.
"I'm not feeling good just because I'm on top of the leaderboard. The things that changed for me is my attitude and my focus. I manage to keep things under control better in the last few months," Ariya explained.
"I don't think about the outcome anymore and play under my own expectation."
Fellow Thai Pornanong Phatlum also surged into contention with a third-round 70. She was in a group of seven tied for 12th on eight-under 208. Ariya's sister Moriya also shot a 70 and was joint 36th on 212.
The world No.114 Kaufman, chasing her first ever victory, produced a flawless display, including eight birdies and 10 pars on Saturday.
Wie, who only recently returned after a two-month lay-off following an emergency appendectomy, made her move with a six-under round featuring seven birdies and one bogey.
Wie said afterwards she was finally starting to feel fully recovered after returning to play last month.
"I really did struggle for a bit just really trying to get my feel back, but every week was an improvement," said Wie. "Every week I felt like I got a little part of my game back. I'm just excited to end the season on a good note."
However there was disappointment for second round leader Park Sung-Hyun, who had started the day three shots clear of the field.
South Korea's Park, who is chasing a win this weekend which could give her Player of the Year honours as well as the $1 million bonus, struggled to a three-over 75.
The 24-year-old US Women's Open champion remains firmly in contention though, just one off the lead on nine-under 207.
Park is tied with six others on nine under, a group that includes Stacy Lewis, Austin Ernst, Lexi Thompson, Jessica Korda, Sweden's Pernilla Lindberg and France's Karine Icher.
China's world No.1 Feng Shanshan posted her best round of the tournament with a five-under 67, leaving her four off the pace at six under. bangkok post/afp
