Ko Ahead in Founders Cup

Lydia Ko overcame her two-stroke deficit to Mirim Lee on Saturday to take over the lead in the LPGA Tour's JTBC Founders Cup. The 16-year-old from New Zealand shot her second 5-under 67 of the $1.5 million tournament, held at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Arizona.

Ko, already a two-time LPGA winner despite her youth, carded four birdies, an eagle on the par-5 fifth and a bogey for a 54-hole total of 16-under 200, a stroke ahead of Lee, who shot a 70, and Jessica Korda (66).

Though excited, Ko is looking forward to Sunday's final round. "Obviously there's going to be some nerves," she said. "Of course, it's always there any time. But it's great that you've got a one‑shot lead. I've just got to take the positive out of it and I'm just going to play my own game, if somebody goes crazy low like shooting 10‑under, 9‑under or whatever, it's not something I can control. So I'm going to control to the most what I can do."

Lee's fellow South Korean, Sun Young Yoo, had a 68 for solo fourth place at 14-under 202 heading into Sunday's final round.

Another stroke back are Spain's Azahara Munoz, who had an eight-birdie 64, Any Yang (67), Michelle Wie (67), Chella Choi (68) and So Yeon Ryu (68).

Defending champion Stacy Lewis had a 67 to share 10th with Paula Creamer (64), Morgan Pressel (67), Cristie Kerr (63), Laura Davies (66), Jaye Marie Green (67), Lexi Thompson (67), Pornanong Phatlum (67), Lizette Salas (69) and Inbee Park (70).

Kerr posted eight birdies, an eagle on the par-5 15th, and a bogey during her torrid round. "Yeah, everything was great," said the 36-year-old Floridian, a 16-time LPGA winner. "A little bit windy, but nothing major, pretty light wind. I was due for a good round."

Creamer felt she could have scored even lower. "I played well enough to shoot 59 today easy, and it's one of those things that I didn't but it was out there and wasn't just making long putts or anything like that and I was just making 6 or 7 footers and giving myself chances," said the 27-year-old, who won the HSBC Women's Champions earlier this month.

"But I like this golf course, and I've always played pretty well here. If you get hot out here, you can keep it going. There's some good holes that you just have to par and you have to take advantage of the shorter holes on the par-5s to make birdies."

For all the scores, visit www.lpga.com.

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