PRIDDIS, Alta. — Ariya Jutanugarn missed a chance to take a big lead into the final round of the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, making two late bogeys Saturday at Priddis Greens.
A week after withdrawing from the Rio Olympics because of a left knee injury, the 20-year-old Thai player bogeyed the par-4 16th and par-5 18th for a 5-under 67. At 17-under 199, she had a two-stroke advantage over South Korea’s In Gee Chun.
Jutanugarn won the Women’s British Open in the event before the Olympics to tie Lydia Ko for the LPGA Tour victory lead with four. After a late meltdown in the major ANA Inspiration in April, Jutanugarn picked up the nickname “May” with three straight victories in the month.
Hitting 2-iron and 3-wood off the tee on the driving holes, Jutanugarn had seven birdies in an 11-hole stretch Saturday on the tree-lined layout.
Chun shot a 66.
South Korea’s Sei Young Kim and Northern Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow were 12-under. Kim had a 68, and Meadow shot 69.
Three-time champion Lydia Ko was tied for 10th at 10-under, and Canadian star Brooke Henderson was nine strokes back at 8-under.
Ko had a 70. She has won the event three of the last four years, the first two as an amateur. The 19-year-old New Zealander won in 2012 at Vancouver Golf Club at 15 years, four months to become the LPGA Tour’s youngest winner and fifth amateur champion.
She successfully defended her title in 2013, winning by five strokes in Edmonton. Last year, back at Vancouver as a pro, she beat Stacy Lewis in a playoff.
Henderson shot her second straight 68 after opening with a rain-delayed 72.
Henderson beat Ko in a playoff in June in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship for her first major title, and successfully defended her Cambia Portland Classic title last month.
Alena Sharp topped the five Canadians to make the cut in the national championship, shooting a 67 to move into a tie for fifth at 11-under with Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist (66), South Korea’s Ha Na Jang (67), Amy Yang (68) and Chella Choi (69).