Multiple TLPGA Tour winner in this season already, Parinda Phokan of Thailand gained another great shot at the crown as she moved into Friday’s final round of the KENDA Tire TLPGA Open with a three-shot lead.

Despite the slow start -- Phokan three-putted and bogeyed the second and the third hole -- the young Thai bounced right back to birdie the following hole and got back to even after picking up another shot on no.6.

She made one more birdie, no blemish, in the remainder of the day and finished on a 36-hole total of 7-under 137.

“I made 14 greens, which was better than yesterday, but I didn’t get it close enough,” said Phokan, who, at the end, needed 32 putts. “I tend to overhit today, which left me so many downhill putts on the greens. I also haven’t been quite used to the green speed. It wasn’t easy. I hope I can make some adjustments and find back the level of golf from my first round.” The 22-year-old from Thailand already won on two occasions this year on the TLPGA Tour at the season-opening Hitachi Ladies Classic and the SAMPO Ladies Open.

Starting at 3-under, Japanese Rieko Sakashita scored four birdies on Thursday, offset by three bogeys, staying three shots behind Phokan in solo second.

Hanna Chen (陳思涵) carded five birdies and one eagle, and once surpassed Sakashita on the leaderboard, but she didn’t capitalize on the par-5 17th and 18th, first missing a 6-footer for birdie and later failing a par putt from just three feet. The Taiwanese ended up spreading away five bogeys to sit one shot short of Sakashita who managed to birdie the final hole to retain her lead.

Chen used a mid-round charge, making four birdies within a five-hole span from the fifth hole, plus an eagle on the par-11 thanks to a 50-degree wedge that navigated through 108 yards, to lift herself to just one shot off the lead. “I was reading well on the greens, and even when others made their putts close, I would still trust my own judgement and the only goal is to make it on the first attempt,” Chen said. “And then there came the eagle, which was a nice surprise. I was confident on that second shot but I didn’t realize it was in the cup already until I walked on the green.”

Chen had a one-month break from golf to recover her bugging neck problems and only came back in action on the TLPGA & Royal Open in late August. “I just totally left golf behind and found some precious time with my family. It helped my game in another way. I felt more peace in me,” said Chen. “I played pretty good at my last tournament, Nan Yi Professional Ladies Open, and now I’m in the top 3 here at the KENDA Tire Open. Although I made some wrong decisions on my club choice today, too small at times, but I’m feeling good. I can’t wait for the final round.”

Lin Tzu-Chi (林子麒) stayed 2-under at 142 after carding an even-par 72 with two birdies and two bogeys.

Defending champion Lu Hsin-Yu (盧昕妤) was another shot off the pace at 143. Down to 2-over after bogeying the first hole in round two, Lu made a trio of birdies consecutively on hole 2 to 4, and made par on the remaining fourteen holes to finish in a tie for fifth with Hsieh Yu-Lin (謝瑀玲) and Chang Ching-Ling (張靖翎).

“The greens are firm at the Taifong course here. You got to be extra clear in the head on which club to use when you attack the greens,” said Lu. “I was more consistent on my short game than yesterday. Though there are still six shots to catch up, there is nothing impossible on a golf course.”

Chen Meng-Chu (陳孟竺), Huang Ching (黃靖), Chen Min-Jou (陳敏柔), Chen Cih-Hui (陳慈惠), Tu Chun-Ting (涂郡庭), Japan’s Rino Kotake, and Thai Arpichaya Yubol were in a seven-way tie for eighth at 144.

52 professionals and 7 amateur players who were inside the 7-over 151 cutline advanced to the final round. Friday’s action begins on 7:30 from the first and tenth tees.

This is the seventh playing of the NT$4 million KENDA Tire TLPGA Open. The TLPGA-organized event is title-sponsored by KENDA Rubber. It has been moved to the current venue since 2017 following a reconstruction of the previous venue, the Taipei Golf Club.
 
A hole-in-one prize of a BESV PSA1 electric bicycle will be up for grabs on the 15th hole at the Taifong golf club which is worth NT$48,000.