Sweet-swinging Tseng on top

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This article was published 01/08/2010 (5842 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SOUTHPORT, England — Yani Tseng of Taiwan shot her third successive 68 to take a four-stroke lead into the final round of the Women’s British Open at Royal Birkdale on Saturday.

Tseng reached the 472-yard, par-5 final hole with only two birdies in her third round and a lead whittled down to just two shots over Australian Katherine Hull, who’d carded 66 to be at 8 under.

Then Tseng unleashed an 8-iron to 20 feet and putted it for an eagle to double her lead. She will go into the last round with the same four-stroke cushion that she had at the start of the day, but at 12 under 204.

"I played really well again," said Tseng, who has had only one bogey in 54 holes.

"I really enjoyed the big crowd out there. They clap on every shot and I showed them my big smile all the way round."

Hull is Tseng’s nearest challenger after finishing with five birdies in a row.

"A great way to finish. I’ll always remember this round," said a clearly delighted Hull.

She got just one birdie on the way out, at the long sixth, hitting her pitching-wedge third shot to three feet, to cover the front nine in 34, then started back with four successive pars before her round burst into life.

She put her 5-iron tee shot to six feet at the short 14th, then a gap wedge to 12 feet at the long 15th, a 5-iron to 20 feet at 16, got up and down out of a bunker at 17, and then two-putted from the back of the green at 18.

"I really love links golf, I just wish we played more," Hull said. "I played pretty well all day and got a hot putter at the end.

"It will be exciting going out in the final pairing in a major for the first time tomorrow. It’s what we all work hard for. It’s my first time being in this position but I’m going to treat it like any other day and just go out there and do my best.

"I’ve got a dream job and I’m just having a ball right now."

South Korean In-Kyung Kim moved into third place on 6 under with a 68. She picked up three birdies in an outward 32, dropped a shot at the 10th, got it back at the 16th, dropped another at the 17th, but then eagled the last to be back in 36.

Birdies at the last two holes moved American Brittany Lincicome into fourth place alone on 5 under 211 after her round of 71, and there were five players on 4 under and two on 3 under.

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp carded a third-round 74 to sit well off the pace, at 6-over.

Earlier, American Morgan Pressel equalled the course record with a 7-under 65 to move from 4 over overnight to 3 under.

"I just made a lot of putts today and put myself right back in the tournament," Pressel said. "Some days it goes well and this was one of those days."

— The Associated Press