Lee leads McDonald's LPGA Championship

BY Bruce Young | LPGA Tour | 2008 McDonalds LPGA Championship | Round Three | 08 Jun 2008

Korean golfer, Jee Young Lee, leads into the final round of the McDonald’s LPGA Championship after a third round of 65 saw her move past several of the game’s greats and into a one shot lead over another player looking for her first major championship, Maria Hjorth.

An eagle and two birdies in her last four holes had Lee, one of the longest players on the LPGA Tour, on top of the leaderboard at 12 under when she finished her round some 45 minutes ahead of the final group of Lorena Ochoa, Lindsey Wright and Lorie Kane.

Her 15 foot birdie putt at the last moved her ahead by one over Sweden’s Hjorth, who was already in the clubhouse at 11 under after she had also recorded a final round of 65.

Lee is in her third season on the LPGA Tour after gaining access via the co-sanctioned Nine Bridges event in Korea in late 2005 and since doing so, has been a runner up four times.

Annika Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa are at 10 under and just two behind Lee, while four players are tied at 8 under and still in the hunt. Those players include the brilliant rookie, Yani Tseng, whose round of 65 has created an opportunity to not only win her first LPGA tournament but a major at that.

Also at 8 under are Australian Lindsey Wright and Americans Brittany Lang and Laura Diaz.

Wright moved to 11 under and the lead through 8 holes but dropped three shots in her next five. She gave herself some hope with a birdie at the 15th from 20 feet but the proceeded to bogey the last to finish four behind the lead. Wright will need a similar round to that she produced in the final round last year (66) if she is to have any chance of her first LPGA Tour victory and in doing so take her career to another level.

Karrie Webb improved with a third round of 69 to be in 19th position at 5 under, Rachel Hetherington is 27th and 4 under, while Michelle Ellis and Wendy Doolan are in 43rd position.