Lindy Duncan entered Saturday in a three-way tie for first at The Annika, but she ended it alone in first place thanks to a 1-under-par 69 in Belleair, Fla.
Duncan (13 under, 197) had been tied with Carlota Ciganda of Spain and Hye-Jin Choi of South Korea, but her round was good enough to give her a one-shot lead over Choi going into the final round Sunday.
“It’s not what happens, it’s how you respond,” Duncan said. “I think my game is in a good spot.”
Ciganda fell off the pace with a 5-over 75 at Pelican Golf Club, which dropped her into a tie for eighth at 7 under.
The season-ending CME Group Tour Championship, which is limited to the top 60 players on the Race to the CME Globe points list, looms on the horizon, and the results in Florida could prove consequential.
Duncan, who opened with a 62 that included a hole-in-one, remains in a strong position to qualify for next week’s finale. She entered the week 74th in points and is projected to climb to No. 35 if current results hold.
Duncan, 35, was steady as she pursued her first victory on the LPGA Tour. She methodically carded a par on every hole, with the exception of the par-4 11th, where she sank a birdie.
“That’s been something I’ve kind of been working on, just trying to take risks when you can and also be very happy with having a lot of tap-ins for pars,” Duncan said.
Choi’s day was more erratic, though only slightly less effective. She balanced four birdies against four bogeys, with the final bogey coming on No. 18, robbing her of a share of the lead going into the final day.
“I’m just going to try to concentrate until the end,” Choi said.
Also in contention are third-place Yuri Yoshida of Japan (67) at 11 under and South Korea’s Ina Yoon (69) in solo fourth at 10 under.
Three more golfers are sitting tied for fifth at 9 under: South Korea’s Haeran Ryu (65), Mexico’s Gaby Lopez (70) and Spain’s Julia Lopez Ramirez (70).
Ryu shot the low round of the day to get within striking distance of the leaders.
Nelly Korda, ranked No. 1 in the World Golf Rankings, carded a 1-over 71 and is tied with Ciganda and four others for eighth place.
–Field Level Media
