Ryu edges closer to back-to-back major titles after record 60; Pagdanganan rallies at Four Winds

MANILA, Philippines — Haeran Ryu moved to the threshold of back-to-back major championships in spectacular fashion, firing a record-breaking 11-under 60 to seize a commanding lead after three rounds of the Evian Championship in France on Saturday (Sunday Manila time).

The Korean star tore apart the par-71 Evian Resort Golf Club, blazing through the front nine in seven-under 29 highlighted by a stunning pitch-in eagle on the par-4 sixth. She kept her foot on the gas on the back nine, adding five birdies, including four over her last five holes, for a flawless 31.

After earlier rounds of 66 and 68, Ryu reached 19-under 194, opening a three-shot advantage over Aki Iwai.

The Japanese, who began the day with the lead, also turned in a superb 64 to reach 197, a score that would have strengthened her position on most days. But it proved no match for Ryu's relentless charge.

Brooke Henderson of Canada and Japan's Mao Saigo shared third at 201 64 and 67, respectively, seven strokes off the pace.

Fresh off her breakthrough victory at the Women's PGA Championship in Minnesota last month, Ryu's 60 established both the lowest round in Evian Championship history and the lowest single-round score ever recorded in an LPGA major.

She eclipsed the previous mark of 61, jointly held by Hyo Joo Kim (2014), Jeongeun Lee6 (2021) and Leona Maguire (2021).

While the leaders continued their assault on the Evian layout, Yuka Saso endured a frustrating day that effectively knocked her out of contention.

Buoyed by a second-round 67 that had put her within striking distance, the ICTSI-backed two-time US Women's Open champion birdied the opening hole to spark hopes of another low round.

Those hopes quickly faded, however, as she bogeyed the second before dropping additional shots on Nos. 5 and 9. She briefly steadied herself with a birdie on the 15th after a string of pars, but disaster struck at the par-3 No. 16, where she holed out with a quintuple-bogey eight that all but derailed her campaign.

She played the back nine in five-over 40 and limped home with a 77, tumbling from a share of 23rd to joint 63rd at 216.

Meanwhile, on the Epson Tour, Bianca Pagdanganan finished strongly with birdies on her final two holes to shoot a 69 and climb into a tie for 25th after the second round of the Four Winds Invitational at Blackthorn Golf Club in South Bend, Indiana.

Starting on No. 10, the long-hitting Filipina went without a birdie through her first 13 holes before finally breaking through on Nos. 5 and 6. After a bogey on the seventh, she responded with birdies on her final two holes to cap a solid comeback.

After opening with a 71, Pagdanganan improved 32 places to 140, just five shots behind Taiwan's Huai-Chien Hsu, who carded a 69 for a 135 total heading into the final round of the 54-hole event.

American Alice Hodge also shot 69 to move into solo second at 136, while four players, led by fellow American Anne Chen, who fired a 67, shared third at 137 to set up a tightly contested finish.

Tomi Arejola, who impressed with an opening-round 67 to sit just one stroke off the lead, slipped down the leaderboard after a 74 marred by a double bogey and a bogey against just one birdie. At 141, she dropped from a tie for third to a share of 39th.

Clariss Guce carded a second straight 71 to make the cut at 142, but Dottie Ardina missed out after a 74 left her at 144. Sam Bruce (72-148) and Pauline del Rosario (74-149) also failed to advance.

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