Swedish Solheim Cup star Caroline Hedwall fired a six-under par 64 on Saturday to grab a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the LPGA Canadian Women’s Open.
Hedwall, seeking the first LPGA title of her career, had seven birdies and just one bogey at Royal Mayfair Golf Club on Saturday and had a 54-hole total of 10-under par 200.
She was one stroke in front of Solheim Cup teammate Suzann Pettersen of Norway who carded a five-under 65 and defending champion Lydia Ko, the New Zealand teen phenomenon who posted a 67.
Ko’s victory in this event last year at the age of 15 years and four months made her the youngest player to win an LPGA title.
Although Hedwall has never won on the US women’s tour, she is a five-time winner on the Ladies European Tour and arrived in Canada after a blockbuster performance in Europe’s Solheim Cup match play triumph over the United States in Colorado.
She was the only player on either team to play all possible five matches and became the first player in the history of the trans-Atlantic match play duel to go 5-0.
Second-round co-leaders Inbee Park of South Korea and Cristie Kerr of the United States both slipped back, Park’s four-over 74 leaving her six strokes adrift in a group on 206 and Kerr falling seven off the pace with a 75.
The lone Australian to make the cut, Katherine Hull-Kirk (72), was 14 shots off the pace heading into the final round.


