By Carey Van Lue

Portland Classic

Columbia Edgewater Country Club | Portland, Oregon| August 31- September 3, 2023

Third-Round Notes

Saturday, September 2, 2023

Course Setup: 36-36–72; 6,325

Scoring Average: R1: 70.820; R2: 69.984; R3: 69.810

Weather: Mostly sunny skies throughout the day with temperatures reaching as high as 86F; winds S/SW

nearing 6-10 mph with potential gusts at 14 mph

Race to CME Globe Points: 500 points (winner)

Purse: $1,500,000 (winner’s portion is $225,000)

TV/Streaming Times: How to Watch

MEGAN KHANG CHASES BACK-TO-BACK VICTOREIS AT PORTLAND CLASSIC

Shooting her third-consecutive round of 66 at Columbia Edgewater Country Club, Megan Khang took the 54-hole lead at the Portland Classic on Saturday, a position she is more than familiar with. Khang also held the 54-hole lead at last week’s CPKC Women’s Open, where she earned her first career victory on the LPGA Tour after defeating 15-time Tour winner Jin Young Ko in a playoff. If she can repeat her performance, Khang would be the fourth LPGA Tour player since 1992 to earn her first career win and then earn her second victory the following week, and the first since Ariya Jutanugarn did so in 2016. Chasing back-to-back victories, the 25-year-old said she was leaning on some familiar advice.

“My dad always told me that you can only control what you can control. Don’t really get too preoccupied with what everyone else is doing. At the end of the day you can’t control what they’re doing, so just stay in your own little world, do your own little thing, and try your best to take care of every little thing that you can make better for yourself instead of stress me out about what other people are doing,” Khang said when asked what she learned from her win in Canada. “I saw a 10-under today, so it’s definitely out there. You know, it’s no guarantee tomorrow what’s going to happen, so a lot of great players behind me. Just going to try to stay in my own little world.”

Khang kicked off her 6-under round with a birdie on No. 2, another on 7 and a bogey on 9 for what could be considered a slow start compared to the field, which made significantly more birdies on the front nine on Saturday (175 total) compared to the back (130). But, the three-time Solheim Cup participant got fired up at the turn, dropping long birdie putts on 11, 13 and 15, and adding a routine birdie on the par-5 No. 12. On 17, Khang said she realized she was tied for the lead at -17 and walked onto the 18th tee hoping to take the solo spot on top. She did, thanks to a solid approach and even more solid putting stroke on the 18^th green, sinking a 16-foot putt for one final birdie on the day.

“Overall I had such a good feeling with my putter today. Was such a solid stroke. I missed a few shorter ones… at the beginning of my round, and they were lipping out and I was just kind of getting a little frustrated,” said Khang, who needed 27 putts to get through her third round. “But honestly, on the back nine I had a couple lip in and I was like, wow, I thought I missed it for sure and I got very fortunate to get the opposite and have it lip in. So for me, it’s just kind of like I was really happy the way I was stroking it today and I’m really hoping I can carry that into tomorrow.”

Two LPGA Tour rookies sit in a tie for second, each with new career-best rounds under their belt heading into the final day. Twenty-year-old Hyo Joon Jang carded a 10-under 62 on Saturday, highlighted by an astonishing 11 birdies, which ties the LPGA Tour record for the second-most birdies in one round (Annika Sorenstam holds the record at 13 birdies in a single round). Jang, who recently underwent back surgery and has suffered from the lingering injury this season, had only recorded one round in the 60s this year before shooting three consecutive sub-60 rounds in Portland.

Let’s say speechless,” Jand said when asked to describe her round. “Still I am going through a lot of things and there is a lot coming, so I won’t say it’s (the) end, but it’s something that going to be meaningful for my stepstone… I wasn’t playing much this year but I’m going to play more, so I’m more excited in the future.”

Chanettee Wannasaen, who sits at T2 along with Jang, has also struggled during her rookie season, having missed all but two cuts in her 11 starts this year. She shot a career-low round of 66 on Friday before besting it with a 7-under 65 on Saturday. Wannasaen is currently not exempt into next week’s Kroger Queen City Championship but a top-10 finish in Portland would earn her a spot in the field.

Spainard Carlota Ciganda sits alone in fourth, followed by four players in a tie for fifth: major champion Ruoning Yin, two-time Tour winner Atthaya Thitikul, American Gina Kim and Xiyu Yin, who has already earned four top-five finishes this season. Rounding out the top-10 are five players at T9, including 2023 Solheim Cup participants Danielle Kang, Madelene Sagstrom and Linn Grant.

WITH A WIN

Megan Khang

• She would earn her second-career victory, and second-straight following last week’s CPKC Women’s Open win
• She would be the fourth player since 1992 to earn her first career win and then earn her second victory the following week
  • The last to do so was Ariya Jutanugarn in 2016 (Yokohama Tie LPGA Classic, Kingsmill Championship presented by JTBC)
• She would be the second player this season to earn back-to-back victories, joining Celine Boutier (Amundi Evian Championship, FREEED GROUP Women’s Scottish Open)
  • She would be the fourth player in the last three seasons to do so, dating back to Jin Young Ko (Cognizant Founders Cup, BMW Ladies Championship) and Nelly Korda (Meijer LPGA Classic, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship) in 2021
• She would be the fifth-different player to earn at least two victories this season, and the second American to do so, joining Lilia Vu (3)
• She would be the 126th different player from the United States to earn at least two victories on the LPGA Tour

Hyo Joon Jang

• She would be the season’s 10th Rolex First-Time Winner, joining Lilia Vu (Honda LPGA Thailand), Ruoning Yin (DIO Implant LA Open), Grace Kim (LOTTE Championship), Rose Zhang (DIO Implant LA Open), Allisen Corpuz (U.S. Women’s Open), Linn Grant (Dana Open), Elizabeth Szokol (Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational), Alexa Pano (ISPS Handa World Invitational) and Megan Khang (CPKC Women’s Open)
  • She would be the third-straight Rolex First-Time Winner
  • The most First-Time Winners in one season is 11 (1995, 2022)
• She would be the 49th different player from the Republic of Korea to earn at least one LPGA Tour victory
• She would be the 18th different player to win this season
• She would be the second-different player from the Republic of Korea to win in 2023, joining Jin Young Ko (HSBC Women’s World Championship, Cognizant Founders Cup)
• She would be the third-youngest player to win on Tour this season at 20 years, 2 months and 23 days
  • She would also be the third-different player to win at age 20 or lower in 2023 alone
• She would be the second 2022 Epson Tour Graduate to win on the LPGA Tour this season, joining Grace Kim

Chanettee Wannasaen

• She would be the season’s 10th Rolex First-Time Winner, joining Lilia Vu (Honda LPGA Thailand), Ruoning Yin (DIO Implant LA Open), Grace Kim (LOTTE Championship), Rose Zhang (DIO Implant LA Open), Allisen Corpuz (U.S. Women’s Open), Linn Grant (Dana Open), Elizabeth Szokol (Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational), Alexa Pano (ISPS Handa World Invitational) and Megan Khang (CPKC Women’s Open)
  • She would be the third-straight Rolex First-Time Winner
  • The most First-Time Winners in one season is 11 (1995, 2022)
• She would become the third-ever Monday qualifier to win an LPGA Tour event
  • She would be the first since Brooke Henderson at the 2015 Portland Classic
• She would become the seventh different player from Thailand to earn at least one LPGA Tour victory
• She would be the 18th different player to win this season
• She would become the second-youngest winner on Tour this season at 19 years, 4 months and 18 days
  • She would also be the second 19-year-old to win on Tour in 2023, joining Alexa Pano (19 years exactly)

Carlota Ciganda

• She would earn her third-career victory, and first since the 2016 Citibanamex Lorena Ochoa Invitational
  • It would be 2,485 days between wins on Tour
• She would tie Beatriz Recari as the most winningest golfer from Spain in LPGA Tour history
• She would cross the $1 million in season earnings ($1,112,329)
  • It would be her first time earning at least $1 million in season earnings since 2018
• She would cross the $8 million mark in career earnings ($8,078,912)
  • She would be projected to jump from 41st to 39th in the All-Time Official Money List, becoming the 39th different player to reach at least $8 million in career earnings in the Tour’s history
• She would be the 18th different player to win this season, and the first player from Spain to do so
• She would be the oldest winner on Tour since Ashleigh Buhai at the 2023 ShopRite LPGA Classic (34 years, 1 month) at 33 years, 3 months and 2 days
  • She would be the second player out of 18 to win over at 30 years of age in 2023

A LOOK AT THE LEADER

Rolex Rankings No. 13 Megan Khang

• She hit 11 of 14 fairways and 15 of 18 greens, with 27 putts
• She recorded her third-straight 66 on Saturday
  • This is the first time this season she has carded three-consecutive rounds in the 60s in one event
  • It’s the first time she’s done so since the 2022 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship
• Her 198, one off the tournament’s 54-hole record, is her new career-best
  • Her previous-low 54-hole score on Tour was 200, recorded at the 2022 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship
• This is her second-straight week holding the 54-hole lead, and the second time overall of her career
• This is her 17th event of the 2023 season
  • She became a Rolex First-Time Winner at the CPKC Women’s Open
  • She has only missed two cuts so far this season and has four top-10 finishes
  • She will make her third appearance for the U.S. Solheim Cup Team in September
• This is her eighth season on Tour
  • Her previous career-best result before her win last week was a second-place finish earned at the 2022 Dana Open
  • She has recorded an additional 33 top-10 finishes on Tour in her career

THINGS TO KNOW

• Seven players have recorded all three rounds in the 60s at the Portland Classic through 54 holes
• There are 13 players within four shots of the lead
• Hyo Joon Jang carded a 10-under 62 to sit in a tie for second heading into the final round (-17)
  • Jang started the day in a tie for 25th
  • She is second in birdies through 54 holes (21)
  • Her 22 putts was the lowest recorded in the third round, and her 75 putts through 54 holes is the lowest among the field
  • Her 62 is a new career-low 18-hole score
    • Heading into the Portland Classic, she had only recorded one round in the 60s (67, R2, JM Eagle Championship)
    • It is the 20th third-round score of 62 recorded in Tour history
    • There have been eight third-round 61s recorded, and one 60 as well
    • On the Epson Tour in her rookie season (2022), her career-low was a 64, recorded in the final round of the IOA Golf Classic where she finished T2
    • She’s carded three-straight rounds in the 60s at Columbia Edgewater CC
  • Her 62 is also the new season-low third-round score on a par 72 course by any player
    • This is the third time this season a player has recorded a 62, joining Georgia Hall (DIO Implant LA Open) and Linn Grant (Dana Open)
      • Both carded 62s on par 71 courses in the third round
  • Her 11 birdies on Saturday:
    • Is a new season-low for most sub-pars in one round by any player in 2023
    • Ties the LPGA Tour record for the second-most birdies in one round
      • Nelly Korda last carded 11 birdies in one round in her victory at the 2021 Meijer LPGA Classic
  • Her 199 smashes her previous 54-hole record on Tour
    • Her career-low before Portland was 215, from the 2023 JM Eagle LA Championship
• Chanettee Wannasaen is tied with Jang for second at -17
  • Of the top 10, Wannasaen is currently not exempt into the Kroger Queen City Championship next week
    • A top-10 finish would earn her a spot in the field
  • Her third-round 65 becomes her new career-low 18-hole score on Tour
    • She tied her previous best on Friday with a 66
  • Her 199 is a new 54-hole career low
    • Her previous best was a 207, recorded at the LPGA Drive On Championship at Superstition Mountain
• Carlota Ciganda is currently solo fourth at -15 after a Saturday 66
  • This is the first time since the 2022 Dana Open where she has recorded rounds in the 60s through the first three days of an event
  • Her 66 is her lowest score since a final-round 65 at the 2023 Dana Open, where she finished T12
  • This is the third time this season where Ciganda has been within five strokes of the lead of a stroke-play event entering the final round
    • She was four shots back at the Meijer LPGA Classic and finished T8
    • She was five shots back at The Chevron Championship, and finished T12
• Four players sit in a tie for fifth at -14, including Atthaya Thitikul
  • Entering this week, Thitikul was tied with Hyo Joo Kim for most top-10 finishes this season (8)
• 18-hole and 36-hole leader Perrine Delacour fell to T16 at -11 after a 3-over 75 on day three
  • Her Saturday included four birdies, three bogeys and two double bogeys on her first and last holes of the day

• Yuka Saso (T16, -11) carded two eagles on Saturday on the par-5 7th and 10th in her third-round 70
  • She is the only player to card two eagles in one round twice this season, after also doing so in the third round of the U.S. Women’s Open
• Defending champion Andrea Lee is also T16 at -11 after a 4-under 68

• The Portland Classic is the longest running non-major tournament on the LPGA Tour
  • This is the 52^nd playing of the event

ROLEX RANKINGS WORLD NO. 1 PROJECTIONS – PORTLAND CLASSIC

Note – There may be additional possibilities with tie scenarios

Nelly Korda, currently -11 and T16, needs a solo fifth or better finish to have a chance to return to Rolex Rankings World No. 1 for the sixth time. Korda has spent 37 total career weeks at No. 1 since she first ascended to the top in June 2021.

Ruoning Yin, currently -14 and T5, needs a win or a solo second-place finish to have a chance to become No. 1 for the first time. Yin would be the second player from the People’s Republic of China to reach No. 1 following Shanshan Feng who was No. 1 for 23 consecutive weeks more than five years ago (November 13, 2017 to April 22, 2018).

World No. 2 Nelly Korda

• Win
• Solo second and have Lilia Vu finish solo third or worse and Ruoning Yin does not win
• Solo third and have Lilia Vu finish solo sixth or worse and Ruoning Yin does not win
• Solo fourth and have Lilia Vu finish solo 18th or worse and have Ruoning Yin finish solo third or worse
• Solo fifth and have Lilia Vu finish solo 66th or worse and have Ruoning Yin finish solo third or worse
  • A solo 66th or worse finish is equivalent to missing the cut as no points are earned beyond 65th place.

World No. 4 Ruoning Yin

• Win
• Solo second and have Lilia Vu finish solo seventh or worse and have Nelly Korda finish solo fourth or worse

Current World No. 1 Lilia Vu is currently T40 at -7 overall.

QUOTABLE

Monday qualifier Chanettee Wannasaen (T2, -17) on the most enjoyable part of her round:

“Actually, I think I’m really enjoy because I play with Charley Hull. She’s a great player, and I’m really glad to play with her. That make me today — because I got a lot of birdie that make me more confident.”

Xiyu Lin (T5, -14) on grinding to keep in contention at the Portland Classic:

The first round, after front nine I thought I’m going home after Friday, but then I just fought through it. And first of all I’m very proud of myself making the cut. Then I know this course everyone is going to fire at it and even the earlier score shows that. I kind of know what the momentum is going to be, so trying to be as aggressive as I can. Obviously this cause one little mistake, that bogey, but I think overall it’s pretty good.”

Atthaya Thitikul (T5, -14) on if she’s made any changes through 54 holes:

“First round just kind of a little bit frustrating with bunch of thing that’s not making it in. But like yesterday had lot more confidence with the putter, and also with the approaching shot as well.This type of course is the course that we — all professional players go really low, which is you need to have a really good putter. You need to have a good approach shot.”

NOTABLE

Jang Seizes Moving Day with Low Round of the Tournament

Lin Battles Back from Opening Double and Into Contention in Portland

54-Hole Leader Megan Khang Joins the Golf Channel Booth Following Third Round

Megan Khang Third-Round Highlights | 2023 Portland Classic

Hyo Joon Jang Third-Round Highlights | 2023 Portland Classic

TOURNAMENT SCORING RECORDS

18 holes: 61, Sei Young Kim, second round, 2019

36 holes: 127, Hannah Green, 2017

54 holes: 197, Yealimi Noh, 2019

72 holes: 267 (-21), Hannah Green, 2019; Brooke Henderson, 2019

COURTESY LPGA TOUR COMMUNICATIONS