SINGAPORE: Michelle Wie shot a 5-under-par 67 on Saturday to take a two-stroke lead over a trio that included Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn at the HSBC Women's Champions LPGA tournament.
The American veteran followed up her previous rounds of 66 and 69 to reach 14-under 202 and lead an LPGA event after 54 holes for the first time since she won the 2014 US Open.
World No.1 Lydia Ko birdied the last hole for a 67 to end the day in a three-way tie for second place with world No.2 Ariya (69) and the big-hitting Korean Park Sung-hyun (68).
Plagued by injuries and a loss of form, Wie needed a sponsor's invitation just to get a start in the US$1.5-million tournament but has been in vintage form since arriving in Singapore.
She took just 32 shots to reach the turn and despite making her first bogey in 35 holes on the tricky par-3 15th, she made her sixth birdie of the day on the next hole to put herself in a great position to end her three-year title drought.
"There definitely are some butterflies out there, but it's exciting getting that feeling again and being in this position," Wie said.
Wie has worked hard on her game -- especially her putting, having abandoned the ‘table-top’ style she had been employing the last season or so for a more traditional style this year -- and it is finally starting to pay off for the 27-year-old.
“I've been in this position before, and that's what I practise for is to be in this position,” she said. "I'm having a lot of fun this week."
Ariya cannot overtake Ko on top of the Rolex Rankings this week even with a victory, but she declared herself pleased with Saturday's performance -- up to a point.
“On the front nine I hit it very well and I made some putts,” she said. “On the back nine I didn’t make the putts like on the front nine.”
Ko is also in a drought, albeit by her own lofty standards. The 19-year-old New Zealander, who has not won an LPGA title since July, birdied the last hole with a long putt from the fringe.
"I started off really hot today. I didn't really continue the momentum after the 10th hole, but I tried to hang in there," she said. "I made a clumsy bogey on 17, but it was nice to bounce back with the birdie on the last.''
Rio Olympic gold medalist Inbee Park, who led overnight, shot a 71 to finish three shots behind Wie and level with defending champion Ha Na Jang (68) at the New Tanjong Course at Sentosa Golf Club.
Among the other Thai competitors, Moriya Jutanugarn was at 6 under, two shots ahead of Pornanong Phatlum, who was the runner-up to Jang last year.