SKorea's Hur shares LPGA Portland lead

South Korea's Hur Mi-Jung has a share of the lead at the LPGA Tour's Portland Classic with Norway's Suzann Pettersen and Spain's Carlota Ciganda.

Hur Mi-Jung led a Korean charge on the leaderboard at the LPGA Tour's Portland Classic with a two-under-par 70 to grab a share of the lead after the third round.

Hur reached 11-under 205 after 54 holes making her the co-leader along with defending Norwegian champ Suzann Pettersen (67) and Spain's Carlota Ciganda (70).

Ryu So-Yeon also shot a 70 and is tied for fourth just one stroke back of Hur as three of the top six and five of the top 13 players are South Korean.

Second round leader Kim In-Kyung, of South Korea, and China's Lin Xi Yu (70) are tied with Ryu for fourth. After rounds of 65 and 67, Kim struggled to a two-over 74 on Saturday.

Eight players are within two shots of the leaders, including Ryu who is seeking her second-straight victory on the Tour.

Ciganda, who is playing some of the best golf in her career this week, is competing with a heavy heart following the death of her long-time coach a few weeks ago.

Rogelio Echeverria had worked with Ciganda for the past 20 years.

He died aged 73 as a result of stomach cancer.

"I can't speak," Ciganda said. "He's the one who taught me everything. I am here because of him. He means everything to me. I love him, it's hard."

Echeverria would have been proud of Ciganda's impressive round Saturday which included eight birdies and a bogey.

"I just want to play for him. I would love to win for him," Ciganda said.

Pettersen has finished with a win the past five times she's held at least a share of the 54-hole lead and will be looking to not only defend her title but post her first win of the season.

Colombia's Mariajo Uribe posted a six-under 66, vaulting her into a share of seventh place at nine-under 207. Uribe sits alongside American Laura Diaz (72), South Korea's Ji Eun-Hee (67), Austin Ernst (69), of the US, and Line Vedel (69) of Denmark.


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