LPGA ANA Inspiration 2015: Leaderboard Analysis and Highlights from Saturday
The 2015 LPGA ANA Inspiration is Sei Young Kim’s world, and the rest of the competitors are just living in it.
Kim made a major move in the second round Friday in the year’s first major, and she fortified her lead with a three-under par 69 on moving day Saturday in the third round. It was an impressive statement that suggested her 65 Friday was no fluke.
Kim has at least a three-shot lead over the rest of the field, but there are a number of competitors well within striking distance entering Sunday’s final round. Here is a look at the top 10 on the leaderboard following play Saturday.
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| 1 | Sei Young Kim | 69 | -10 |
| 2 | Stacy Lewis | 68 | -7 |
| T3 | Ariya Jutanugarn | 66 | -6 |
| T3 | Brittany Lincicome | 70 | -6 |
| T3 | Morgan Pressel | 71 | -6 |
| T6 | Moriya Jutanugarn | 70 | -5 |
| T6 | Shanshan Feng | 70 | -5 |
| T6 | Jenny Shin | 71 | -5 |
Kim may not have been as spectacular Saturday as she was Friday with six birdies and an eagle, but she finished strong with a birdie on holes Nos. 16 and 17. She also only tallied a single bogey on the entire round and played the type of calm and collected golf that is necessary when you sit atop the leaderboard at a major.
The Golf Channel noted that Kim’s late push was critical to create some separation at the top of the standings:
While Kim’s three-stroke lead may not be overwhelming, it is difficult to envision anyone else winning this tournament given the solid play she has demonstrated the past couple of days. She recognized Friday that she needed to make a move after shooting even par Thursday and responded with more aggression and more birdies.
On Saturday, she understood that she was in first place entering the round and took a steadier approach and capitalized with more pars and the occasional birdie when the opportunities presented themselves.
She has demonstrated that she can play either way and may need to delve into her bag of tricks Sunday, depending on where the rest of the field is when she tees it up later in the day. If she is behind, she will likely respond in kind and be more aggressive, but if she is still in first, look for another run of steady pars.
The other big story from Saturday’s third round was the play of Stacy Lewis, who is now in second place after an impressive four-under 68 and actually held the lead for a time after her hot start.
KPMG commented on Lewis’ approach on the 11th hole, while Beth Ann Nichols of Golfweek pointed out that the putter was Lewis’ friend throughout the round:
Lewis tallied six birdies in the first 12 holes but struggled some down the stretch with two bogies on Nos. 15 and 17. Still, she seemed fairly content in comments after the round, per Nichols:
Elsewhere, Ariya Jutanugarn is now in third place after a stunning six-under par 66. It was the best round of any of the contenders, and it helped bring her to within four shots of the lead entering play Sunday.
The tournament’s official Twitter account took note of her charge, while Randall Mell of GolfChannel.com acknowledged that the LPGA is in the midst of a youth movement as players like Jutanugarn and Kim continue to impress:
Perhaps the most notable performance from someone outside of the top five was that of Pat Hurst, who turned in a two-under 70 and is tied for ninth place at four under par. While the round was solid, it was the fact that she is still on the leaderboard despite extensive time off that is noteworthy, per Nichols:
It all sets up for a thrilling finish, as Kim tries to stave off a challenge from a number of competitors within striking distance.
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