Akie Iwai (-13) has regained the lead at the LOTTE Championship after the third round held in the early hours at the Hoakalei Country Club in Oahu, Hawaii. It is, however, a somewhat tense lead. More or less like you’ve just emerged from a bunker into an apocalyptic scene and an army of zombies starts chasing you. More or less, like that.
The Japanese player, winner of her first LPGA Tour tournament just over a month ago, would do well not to look in the rear-view mirror. The lessons of Ángel Nieto would be very useful. Look back, not even to gain momentum. After all, she is being chased by no less than eight players just one stroke behind: Minami Katsu, Hyo Joo Kim, Megan Khang, Peiyun Chein, Brooke Matthews, Pornanong Phatlum, Jessica Porvasnik, and Youmin Hwang, leader after the second round. As if that weren’t enough of a threat, Nelly Korda (-11) and Nasa Hataoka (-11) are only two strokes behind, and A Lim Kim and Andrea Lee are three strokes behind.
There is no doubt that Iwai will have to endure quite a bit to lift this title in Hawaii this Saturday. Remember, it is the last tournament on US soil before an important Asian swing of the LPGA Tour.
The moving day in Oahu hasn’t clarified much in terms of the fight for victory. Everything will be decided in the final round. On the other hand, it has given us excellent news regarding Azahara Muñoz (-6), the only Spanish player present at the LOTTE. The player from Malaga has delivered a very good card of 69 strokes and has climbed some positions in the standings, reaching 30th place. She is within reach of a great classification. Anything that brings her closer to the top 10 would allow her to approach that great goal of getting into the top 100 of the LPGA Tour ranking, known as the Race to CME Globe.
It is true, and it should be clarified, that finishing beyond the 100th place, if only by a little, as Azahara is currently (104th), would not mean a complete loss of playing rights. She could play some events next year with a conditional card, and if she performs very well in the early tournaments, she could even secure a good schedule after the first re-ranking. The player from San Pedro de Alcántara also plays with the peace of mind that she wouldn’t be left with nothing. In any case, being so close to that top 100, no one should doubt that she will fight for it fiercely.
Azahara will start this Saturday five strokes behind the top 10 of the tournament. It’s a significant distance, but not insurmountable. She needs a great day of golf. More or less, what she achieved this Friday between holes 18 and 5. She started on the 10th and in that stretch signed four consecutive birdies (18, 1, 2, and 3) and one more on the 5th. Spectacular. She only committed two bogeys, despite it not being her best day of golf with the irons to the green. She left eight behind. However, she was very sharp with the putter, one of her specialties.
