Spain’s Carlotta Ciganda fired six birdies in a five-under par 66 on Saturday to seize a two-shot lead after three rounds of the inaugural North Texas LPGA Shootout.

Ciganda, 2012’s Rookie of the Year on the Ladies European Tour, moved to a 54-hole total of 11-under par.

World No.1 Park In-Bee of South Korea carded a 67 to claim a share of second place on 9-under, tied with German LPGA rookie Caroline Masson (69) who led after both of the first two rounds.

South Korea’s Choi Na-Yeon carded a 66 to stand alone in fourth on 205.

Lindsey Wright (71) is the only Australian who will contest the final round, tied for 36th a distant 11 strokes behind Ciganda at even-par.

A second cut was made on Saturday, trimming the field to 51 players. Those who didn’t make it included US star Michelle Wie, 2012 Kraft Nabisco Championship winner Yoo Sun-Young and Australian Sarah-Jane Smith.

Ciganda, a two-time winner on the LET last season, will try to become the fourth Spanish player to win an LPGA tour title.

Her six birdies included an unlikely one at the par-four 12th, where she hit her drive right into a lateral hazard to leave her ball part underwater in a concrete drainage ditch.

She blasted an eight-iron off the concrete and with a fortuitous bounce her ball rolled 10 feet from the pin and she made the putt for birdie.

“I just tried to hit it as well as I could, and I think I was pretty lucky,” Ciganda said. “It bounced really well to the right, and then I was lucky again to make that putt.”

The 22-year-old has plenty of proven talent chasing her, including Park, who claimed the world No.1 ranking less than two weeks ago.

Park opened with a bogey, but nabbed five birdies – including two to end her round – to keep herself in contention.

Choi, ranked third in the world, carded a five-under 66 to move up from a tie for 11th.

Choi has three top-10 LPGA finishes this season, including a runner-up showing at the HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore.