Associated Press
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. ó Michelle Wie salvaged a ragged round with a birdie-birdie finish to remain among the leaders after the third round of an LPGA Tour sectional qualifying tournament Thursday.
Wie’s closing birdies gave her 2-over 74 on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club, the home of the LPGA Tour’s Kraft Nabisco Championship.
That left Wie at 7-under 209 entering Friday’s final round. She was fourth and still comfortably inside the top 30 players and ties who will advance to the final qualifying tournament in Florida in December.
Wie again declined requests for interviews.
South Korea’s Sun-Ju Ahn and Anna Norqvist, a Swede who played at Arizona State, were tied for the lead at 12 under. Norqvist shot a third-round 67 with just one bogey, while Ahn had a 72 after opening the tournament with consecutive 66s.
Wie’s was even par through seven holes. But she made a triple-bogey 6 on the eighth hole when her tee shot on the par 3 hooked left into trees and apparently lodged in the branches. After searching unsuccessfully for the ball, she again hit from the tee and the ball sailed into the trees, but this time it came out. She pitched on the green and two-putted.