MONTREAL, August 27, 2011 (AFP) - Defending champion Michelle Wie, fellow Korean-American Tiffany Joh and Japan's Ai Miyazato shared the lead after Saturday's third round of the $2.25 million LPGA Canadian Women's Open.
Wie fired a four-under par 68 and Joh, an LPGA rookie, shot a 65 while Miyazato, who shared the lead when the day began, fired a 71 to leave the trio deadlocked atop the leaderboard at 12-under par 204 through 54 holes.
Concern over approaching Hurricane Irene prompted organizers to advance the start of the final round to Sunday morning and play in threesomes, putting the top trio together and nine rivals within three strokes on their heels.
"The forecast doesn't look good," Wie said. "It's a pretty quick turnaround but I think it's a pretty good thing they are starting early."
Rain is expected to start about the time the leaders tee off Sunday.
"It depends on the weather," Miyazato said. "It's going to be the same thing -- just be patient and try to make some birdies."
Americans Brittany Lincicome and Angela Stanford were one stroke adrift sharing fourth, one stroke ahead of compatriot Cristie Kerr, Becky Morgan of Wales and South Koreans Jiyai Shin, Na Yeon Choi and Song-Hee Kim.
"There are a lot of people hovering around," Wie said. "There are going to be a lot of challenges with a lot of people and the conditions. I'm going to go out there and be patient and try to get it done."
Wie birdied the second hole but took a bogey at the par-3 fourth. She fought back with birdies at the seventh, ninth and par-5 10th holes and added another at the par-3 15th to grab a share of the lead.
"I just stayed patient and got a lot of things rolling," Wie said.
Miyazato began with a birdie at the par-5 first but gained no ground from there, following a birdie at the sixth with a bogey at the par-3 eighth and a birdie at the ninth with a bogey at the 12th before parring her way to the clubhouse.
"I played all right. I hung in there," Miyazato said. "I couldn't make any putts on the back nine. I tried to take it nice and easy out there."
Miyazato battled to control her emotions, hungry for birdies but knowing that avoiding mistakes was crucial as well.
"When you play in the last group, it's difficult to control yourself," she said. "You need to make some birdies out there, but you also need to be patient out there. It's tough to make the balance."
Leading scores on Saturday after the third round of the $2.25 million LPGA Canadian Women's Open (USA unless noted, par 72):
204 - Tiffany Joh 70-69-65, Michelle Wie 67-69-68, Ai Miyazato (JPN) 65-68-71
205 - Brittany Lincicome 68-68-69, Angela Stanford 67-66-72
206 - Jiyai Shin (KOR) 70-67-69, Na Yeon Choi (KOR) 68-69-69, Cristie Kerr 69-68-69, Becky Morgan (GBR) 69-67-70, Song-Hee Kim (KOR) 67-68-71
207 - Jennifer Johnson 72-67-68, Catriona Matthew (GBR) 71-68-67
208 - Maude-Aimee LeBlanc (CAN) 70-71-67, Kris Tamulis 72-67-69, Caroline Hedwall (SWE) 69-70-69, Jenny Shin (KOR) 67-70-71, Jimin Kang (KOR) 70-68-70, Paula Creamer 68-68-72
209 - Hee-Won Han (KOR) 72-71-66, Natalie Gulbis 71-70-68, Anna Nordqvist (SWE) 71-70-68, Stacy Lewis 69-71-69, Maria Hjorth (SWE) 68-71-70, Sun Young Yoo 68-70-71
210 - Hee Young Park (KOR) 68-71-71, Sophie Gustafson (SWE) 68-68-74