Golf

Jennifer Kupcho in driver’s seat at the Chevron Championship

Meadow shoots up the leaderboard after a five-under-par 67 on Day 3

Jennifer Kupcho reacts to a birdie on the 17th hole during the third round of The Chevron Championship. Photograph: Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty

Sun Apr 3 2022 - 10:40

American Jennifer Kupcho will take a six-stroke lead into the final round of the Chevron Championship after setting a tournament-record total of 16-under 200 on Saturday.

Kupcho tallied eight birdies on the first 12 holes and finished the round on eight-under 64.

Chevron's defending champion, Thailand's Patty Tavatanakit, trailed behind her on 10 under.

Ireland's Stephanie Meadow, meanwhile, had a memorable day on Saturday, firing a five-under-par 67 to climb up to tied 21st on four-under-par. Her bogey-free round included five birdies.

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Leona Maguire faded on Saturday to fall out of contention with a 74 to post one under.

World number one Jin Young Ko was far down the leaderboard on even par.

The Chevron Championship is the first women’s major of the year. If Kupcho can keep her edge in the final round to win for the first time on the LPGA Tour she will take home $5 million (€4.5 million).

Each year, the winner of the Chevron Championship jumps into Poppie's Pond, a tradition that began with Amy Alcott in 1983.

In the Valero Texas Open on the PGA Tour, Brandt Snedeker and Beau Hossler joined JJ Spaun and Dylan Frittelli in the lead after the Valero Texas Open's third round on Saturday.

Americans Snedeker and Hossler both finished the round on 5-under 67 to move up the leader board and nab shares of the lead at 10-under par.

A bogey on the 18th spoiled fellow American Spaun’s chance to take the outright lead, while a 70 from Frittelli was enough for the South African to keep pace.

The group lead by just one from Scott Stallings with Matt Kuchar another shot behind.

Meanwhile, England's Aaron Rai features among nine players still in the hunt on seven under.

Collated third round scores & totals in the LPGA Chevron Championship:

(USA unless stated, Par 72):

200 Jennifer Kupcho 66 70 64

206 Paphangkorn Tavatanakit (Tha) 67 69 70

207 Jessica Korda 71 69 67

209 Annie Park 69 67 73

210 Alexis Thompson 69 70 71, Hannah Green (Aus) 70 72 68, Nanna Koerstz Madsen (Den) 71 67 72, Brooke Henderson (Can) 72 71 67, Hyo-Joo Kim (Kor) 70 67 73, Gabriela Ruffels (Aus) 68 71 71

211 Lydia Ko (Nzl) 68 73 70, Yuka Saso (Jpn) 75 70 66, Sei-Young Kim (Kor) 70 67 74, Ryann O’Toole 73 69 69, Celine Boutier (Fra) 70 69 72, Madelene Sagstroem (Swe) 71 70 70, Charley Hull (Eng) 71 71 69, Atthaya Thitikul (Tha) 74 68 69, Sarah Schmelzel 69 71 71, Pia Babnik (Slo) 70 70 71

212 Hinako Shibuno (Jpn) 69 66 77, Min-Jee Lee (Aus) 66 73 73, Pajaree Anannarukarn (Tha) 68 71 73, Stephanie Meadow (Irl) 73 72 67, Caroline Masson (Ger) 68 71 73

213 Brittany Lincicome 72 69 72, Anna Nordqvist (Swe) 68 74 71, Georgia Hall (Eng) 68 71 74, Wei Ling Hsu (Tai) 72 69 72, Ally Ewing 70 68 75, Moriya Jutanugarn (Tha) 73 71 69, Ayaka Furue (Jpn) 71 71 71, Brittany Altomare 76 68 69, Wichanee Meechai (Tha) 72 70 71, Alison Lee 71 70 72, Paula Reto (Rsa) 71 71 71

214 Ind-Bee Park (Kor) 75 69 70, Ariya Jutanugarn (Tha) 71 72 71, Amy Yang (Kor) 73 68 73, Eun-Hee Ji (Kor) 71 71 72, Xiyu Lin (Chn) 72 72 70, Pornanong Phatlum (Tha) 71 70 73, Pauline Bouchard (Fra) 69 75 70

215 Danielle Kang 73 71 71, Leona Maguire (Irl) 72 69 74, Matilda Castren (Fin) 71 69 75, Melissa Reid (Eng) 74 71 70, Thidapa Suwannapura (Tha) 71 72 72, Lindsey Weaver-Wright 72 70 73, Albane Valenzuela (Swi) 70 74 71, Hye-Jin Choi (Kor) 72 71 72

216 Jin-Young Ko (Kor) 74 68 74, Nasa Hataoka (Jpn) 71 74 71

217 Brooke Seay 72 70 75, Pernilla Lindberg (Swe) 73 71 73, Sophia Popov (Ger) 71 74 72, Lizette Salas 74 69 74, Giulia Molinaro (Ita) 73 68 76, Ind-Gee Chun (Kor) 71 71 75, Chella Choi (Kor) 73 72 72, Marina Alex 70 72 75, Jaye Marie Green 70 72 75, Alana Uriell 74 71 72, Nam-Rin Ant (Kor) 72 70 75

218 Bronte Law (Eng) 71 71 76, Cheyenne Knight 74 71 73, Perrine Delacour (Fra) 75 69 74

219 Austin Ernst 71 73 75, Mi-Hyang Lee (Kor) 73 71 75, Aditi Ashok (Ind) 76 69 74, Charlotte Thomas (Eng) 71 71 77, Jodi Ewart (Eng) 71 72 76

220 Som-Yeon Ryu (Kor) 76 68 76, Lauren Stephenson 69 75 76

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