12.01.2007
06:52 pm (ET)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sports Network) -- Jane Park shot a 4-under 68 on Saturday and will carry a six-stroke lead into the final round of the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament.
A former U.S. Women's Amateur champion and rookie on the LPGA Tour this year, Park has led after each of the first four rounds. She now stands at 14-under 274 heading into the fifth and final round.
Hee Young Park shot a 67 and Su A Kim had a 68 to share a distant second place at 8-under 280. Yani Tseng fired a 66 and was in fourth place at 7-under 281.
The field was trimmed to the low 70 scores after Saturday's round, down from the 135 players who began the tournament on Wednesday. The top 17 finishers after the final round on Sunday will earn LPGA Tour cards for next season, while the next 35 lowest scorers will be offered conditional status for 2008.
Each player completed two rounds apiece at the Legends and Champions Courses at LPGA International. Jane Park played the course she likes better on Saturday, the Legends Course.
She began the day with a two-shot lead and carded three birdies over her first eight holes before stumbling to her lone bogey of the round at the ninth. Further birdies at the 13th and 16th gave Park her six-shot lead.
"I was very excited to play today. I was back on the course I like better, so I had a good feeling about today," said Park, who finished 109th on the money list in her rookie season.
"I was more confident on the greens. They were more readable and not as grainy as the other course. I had confidence in my stroke. I trusted my line more and trusted what I was doing."
South African phenom Ashleigh Simon and former University of Georgia standout Taylor Leon had matching 70s and were tied for fifth place with Meredith Duncan (71) and Carolina Llano (73) at 6-under 282. Louise Friberg (68) and Sophie Giquel (70) were a shot further back at 283.
Kelli Kuehne, who stood second behind Jane Park after the second and third rounds, managed only a 76 on Saturday and slipped into a five-way tie for 11th place at 4-under 284.
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