Rookie pro Du Mohan (杜墨含) will hold a 5-shot lead into the final round of the 2019 EFG Hong Kong Ladies Open. The 17-year-old Chinese talent turned in a second-round 5-under 67 on Saturday to push her two-round total to 10-under 134.

China’s Zhang Weiwei (張維維) carded 71, putting herself in a tie for second with Korean Seo Ji Hyun, who shot 70. Taiwan’s Wu Chih-Yun (吳芷昀) registered her best career round with a 68 on the Old Course of Hong Kong Golf Club. She is tied with Chinese players Ren Yue (任玥) and Liu Wenbo (劉文博) at 4-under 140.

Taiwanese Huang Ching (黃靖) carded 72. Babe Liu (劉嬿) finished with a 73. The two share the 7th place with five other players at 141. China’s Liu Yan (劉艷) is on 3-under as well and seven strokes back of lead.

Hou Yu-Chiang (侯羽薔) is currently the lowest amateur in the field at 2-under.

The $150,000 event is title-sponsored by the Switzerland-based EFG Bank, co-sanctioned by the TLPGA, China LPGA and the Ladies Asian Golf Tour (LAGT).

Temperature rose on a sun-soaked day in Fanling, providing warm, breezy conditions for players. Chinese teen sensation Du Mohan’s hot putter remained a big weapon as she needed just 26 putts, which produced six birdies also thanks to precise iron set-ups. She missed only one fairway the entire day. An only bogey came on the 7th hole where her tee shot was caught in a sand trap.

Just turning pro last year, Du currently sits at no.5 on this year’s China LPGA Tour order of merit with two top-5 finishes under her belt at the Hengqin Phoenix Tree Building Orient Golf Challenge and the CTBC Ladies Classic. She finished at no.36 in her first official season in 2018.

Despite two three-putts and a wild 35 tries on the green, Zhang Weiwei completed her round in red number making four birdies and three bogeys. The 22-year-old captured her first victories on the CLPGA Tour and the Japan LPGA’s Step Up Tour in 2017, which earned her a full playing card on the JLPGA main tour the following year.

In the first two tournaments on her home tour this season, Zhang finished both in the top-10 and is now ranked 7th on the 2019 CLPGA Tour order of merit.

Wu Chih-Yun, a Taiwan Kaohsiung Hsin-Yi Course player, started competitive golf when she was 10. Now at 21 years of age, in her fourth year on the tour, Wu just handed in her best personal round in today’s second round (her previous best has been a 70). She used 26 attempts on the greens, missed only 1 fairway, and converted seven birdie chances.

Highlights of Wu’s round included a potentially damaging 40-foot, downhill putt on the par-3 12th which went in for birdie.

Her chip from the fringe of the 17th green hit the pin and landed just 3 feet away, ending up rewarding Wu an easy tap-in for another birdie.

“It’s a special week already. I hope I won’t be too nervous and finish steady and strong,” said Wu, who has been coached by former Japan LPGA star player Tu A-Yu.

Babe Liu’s aggressive play saw her snatch one eagle, three birdies, but got cancelled out with one double-bogey and four bogeys.

“I set a goal to go at least 4-under every round. I did it yesterday but today wasn’t my best play. I played some loose drivers which put me in some awkward position,” said Liu, who hit only 9 fairways and 11 greens in regulation.

Liu lost her ball on the 10th hole and dropped two shots right there, but she bounced back to shot an eagle on the next to keep her in contention where she chipped-in her third attempt on the hole from the green-side roughs.

Huang Ching had a difficult time with the par-3s today, missing greens on three of them and ended up with bogeys after failed par saves from about seven feet distance. “I got a bit too tight on the greens, thinking too much. Hopefully, I can come back fresh in the final round and execute my game better,” said Huang.

Amateur Hou Yu-Chiang had four birdies and five bogeys. “I made some unnecessary mistakes. I was rushing myself a little and over-hit a few. I’ll try to improve on my second shots and the wedge game on Sunday to hopefully give myself a couple more opportunities,” said Hou.

TLPGA Tour titlist Chen Yu-Ju (陳宇茹) pushed back inside the top-50 cut line as she used a 1-under 71 to survive at 2-over and T41.

Big names who couldn’t advance include 2017 champion Supamas Sangchan, who was one stroke off the cut line set at 4-over 148.

62 players will be in the final round starting at 7:55 in the morning. The leaders will set out at 11:40.

Inaugurated and sanctioned by the TLPGA Tour since 2015, the EFG Hong Kong Ladies Open is the only golf tournament in Hong Kong in which World Ranking points are offered.