Lilia Vu Leads Ford Championship After Intense Third Round

CHANDLER, Arizona — Lilia Vu surged ahead of the Ford Championship leaderboard on Saturday, securing a two-shot lead after a challenging third round at the Whirlwind Golf Club. Vu, the two-time major champion, achieved a remarkable tournament total of 18-under par with a score of 68 amidst windy conditions.

England’s Charley Hull trails closely behind in second place at 16-under par after matching Vu’s score with a solid performance featuring six birdies. Hull overcame an early bogey on the first hole and closed out her round impressively with birdies on two of the final three holes.

“It is what it is and it ain’t what it ain’t, but nice to finish with a birdie,” Hull remarked after her round.

Vu, who had entered the tournament with high expectations following her successful year in 2023, experienced some struggles but managed to recover well. Despite bogeys on the sixth and ninth holes, and a double bogey at the tricky 14th, she rallied to make three consecutive birdies to finish strong.

“Just focused on the shot in front of me and getting from point A to point B,” Vu said. “That really kind of helped me. Somehow just happened to play well. Felt like everything was grooving in the right spot,” she added regarding her performance.

The competition for the championship remains fierce, with notable players like Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Japan’s Ayaka Furue tying for third place at 15-under. They both finished the day with scores of 69 and 67 respectively. Meanwhile, Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul, who started the day at 12-under, joined a group of five players at 14-under.

World number one Nelly Korda, initially in contention, faltered significantly with a one-over 73, leaving her seven shots behind the leader.

As competitors enter the final round, the pressure mounts with the cut set at 4-under 140, illustrating the challenging conditions posed by the firmly set greens of the course. Players have had to navigate tricky pin placements, as evidenced by Lydia Ko’s struggle to capitalize on scoring opportunities.

“I hit some really good chips out there and even some good saves and played solid. Just looking forward to the weekend now,” Hull stated as she prepared for the upcoming rounds.

The final rounds of the Ford Championship promise to deliver intense competition, with many of the LPGA’s top players poised to make a final push for the title. Coverage will continue live throughout the weekend on Sky Sports.