Sei Young KIM & Rio TAKEDA & Brooke MATTHEWS
Credit: LPGA
Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. There we go. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. off the tea. Seong Kim nearly found the water, hit it into the sand, and thankfully this is her third shot. Her approach did not go into the water, which was really fortunate. That was a very lucky break if that’s the case. From where we were watching her second shot looked like she’d maybe found the penalty area. Brook Matthews about 100 yards in, she was careful. She pulled it into this bunker. Need that to save Park. This is the hardest hole on the golf course and we are seeing it right now. So, problems, problems, problems. And I think it’s fair to say we’ve seen a birdie bonanza. The Maria Takada to try and save par this difficult fourth. She hit it well. Oh, needed one roll more. So, back to where she started the day. 13 under par at the moment. That’s four back of Brook Matthews. But Matthews has work to do to save Par herself. Here is the Yeah, after splashing out the bunker thought downwind it might have released more. The greens are a little bit slower. They’ve slowed down the greens a little bit because of the wind conditions. Yeah, it gets very exposed particularly by the coast. We saw that T-shot of eight from Sumino really on the back nine, the beach n as it’s known. That’s where it really will blow. The forecast is that mean everyone’s dropping a shot here. Then the wind is expected to maybe die down a little. Yeah, we really saw it die down yesterday. Can really flate the ball very well. See Kim up the hill to front pin position here on the fifth. Nicely done. Back up the hill into the breeze. We won over path through four. She was the same yesterday. Ended up shooting around of the panic button close to the trees down the left here. Brook Matthews lucky to get a swing and a route through that one finds the sand down the right hand side zigzagging her way down this par five running away from her ball all above her feet here for tack it up wants to start this at the right edge of the green on the right oh you can’t miss it right she’s done just that from pins eh they’ll get you the big professional tournaments that tricky bumper shot we saw for hitting the down slope just not able to get any spin on it sure that was being observed by the leader Brook Matthews I see young Kim down the hill fraction left to right on the fifth left edge to tie for the lead car brings his back for a boogie at the previous hole for a little bit of revenge. So Brook Matthews in the bunker splashed out to here. for this to stay alongside Sean Kim. Now, excellent save. Wasn’t an easy bunker shot. She had a lot of bunker to go over hitting the down slope. A good puck can make up for a lot in a hole. He’s looking to looking to do the same here. She boed that fourth hole. Slips by. So, She now falls to one over part 11 under attack leader now par five six second easiest hole on the golf course downwind par five bunkers on the left must be avoided Amazing given how much rain we’ve had, how much run out there is on the fairways. Probably 20 30 y back just at that drain and that’s just scampered past. She can get it out there, can’t she? Bratis got a bit underneath that one. So, it’s higher riding the wind. A little unlucky just to miss. It’ll promote a kind of left to right shape. Difficult downwind off the down slope to get the ball in the air with a long iron. It’s amazing. The crowd are sort of living and breathing every roll of the golf ball. I mean, it’s only Saturday. What are they going to be like down the back n on Sunday? It’s like in football, isn’t it? She’s got the 12th man. This is a slightly flatter lie for Rio so she can hit some height on this iron. Have it coming down front edge. You can just see the difference there. It’s amazing just the difference in the in the line. you can get on the fairway. I’m not sure what Seyong could have done anything different with her shoting because she had to carry that bunker that you saw there. It it ran the br Matthews with a huge drive down here. I thought no more than perhaps a sixiron 192 down wind. Lucky there. She pitched into the fairway, didn’t she? Landing zone miss by three yards. That’s 30 here. What the wind’s going to do. It’s something as a golfer and you’ve played for so long, it just kind of comes automatically without you really having to think too much. Good certainly for weight left for birdie for Matthews using a length well to Nick Eagle at the other par five on this front nine. Epsonion dollars which is very nice to have but she’d love a win. Yeah, you can take positives and negatives from that as you said Sophie into the wind. That was the only good thing about it. She’s got such good hands, hasn’t she? She can just manipulate the club face with Zach’s got this for eagle breaking from left to right. Couple of cups downhill downwind. If you don’t make eagle, they’re the type of birdie butch you want. No stress at all. Gets her up into that tie for third. Yeah, remember she is in a big battle with her D pair’s teammate compatriate Yashta to try and win the Louis Suggs rookie of the year. And this would be an excellent two-part from the front of the green for Matthews. Not a huge amount in this putt. She had the experience of being in contention just a few weeks ago in Hawaii. It’s in the final group for the Sy Kim to match her with a birdie. Right half here for sale. Well, there’s no doubt about it. A third of the way through this third round and a bit of a gap now between our co-leaders and the rest, Sean Kim and Brooke Matthews. Check that wind direction. It’s from 11:00. See, as she was trying to get through onto that left hand side, there was a lack of kind of launch and having the right shoulder low. look like the the shoulders are even more parallel and nor bunker found for Brook Matthews this time off the tea to pull them a fraction doesn’t have a coach as such her mom oversees her golf swing with the Dolphin family indeed Harassi used to play on the LPJ tour. Winner on the LPJ tour starts gaining that 0.6 per round which is going to add up to two shots just out the rough but coming from a nice angle. Maybe just a club short. Difficult to judge them going up the hill and into the wind out the rough. Should be able to get up and over there. It’s only 80 yards from an edge. Made a cut in the first run round of the LPGA. Kim, the only one on the fairway here on seven. She take advantage of that. Very good. Well, it’s been a long wait for win number 13 on tour for say young Kim. The wind knocks them down for birdie on seven. Settle and that fooled a couple of them. You saw MJI hit it out there on the left, thinking it was going to come back in. This was a good pickup out of the fairway bunker for Brooke over the shoulder from left to right and straightens up at the end. I think we were going to pick a Brook at the start of the week. Most of us would have for Henderson, but it’s Matthews who’s certainly been a standout here this week. It has indeed. And she and she’s looking very composed. She’s not looking flustered, not speeding up. Sometimes uh you back it up, but with this wind, you don’t need to force the issue. Beautiful second in from Sean Kim just to take the lead on her own again. This is another chance for another three birdies in a row. She’s been on a few runs like that this week. That’s how you get to 17 under, but missed opportunity there. The wind she’s trying to get set. Take it now to save part. Well done. She mentioned with a pot in it’s all about getting one in early. Yes. Well done. It’s amazing if you miss the five early how you probably get one in the next hole. The next hole. It’s as if golf is always wanting to test you. This is a feel that she’s played these shots so well as she just kind of leans into it. Get the hands to work through a little bit of right to left shape on this wedge. She doesn’t try and hit them too hard in these windy conditions, the short turns. Look at the crowds. They’ve definitely come out come out in force today. First birdie and then who knows how many she’s going to make. The wind will now hit it as it comes out into the open. Half a club shy there for Matthews. This is the player who started the Japanese run on the LPJ tour this year. She’ll tell you that’s not landed on the green. It’s not a bunker, I believe. But you can just see she doesn’t really look as though she ever tries to hit one down. You can also finished. No one hits more greens in regulation on tour than Rio. This is unusual. Wide stamps, low hands, executed perfectly. Oh, it hit the pin. Just splashed that one out. Cuz Hannah wants it. She wants it. I mean, she’s now in the top 10, by the way. She’s bogey free today. Three under. It is the day we start going down their Wikipedia pages. Where were they born? Where did they grow up? Perth. Right. Miy Lee, Hannah Green, tick. That’s good. Not quite sure where Sel can take advantage after missing on the last. Yes. Well done to take the lead 18 under. now in front on her own. It’s been be a nice sand save. We saw this. It’s just got to keep it inside the hole. inside left. Five now for par. Back to the eighth with Matthews to stay one back. Say a kind of similar kind of positions. Prolific winners on tour, but it’s been a while to hold on. It’s not in the sand in that second cut on the mound there. Surprised to see these three in the final group and performing performing well on them. Switch the middle of those bunkers on the left. She’s let that one go. That one’s in the bunker. What can happen is you’re going down that left hand side and then Four. Caddy might need a little bonus today with all the work he’s getting to do. Traces are good on this T box. See how much the wind affects players and how strong that wind is. I mean, Taka is shy of that bunker. Missed the bunker. Tack it up. The angle’s good. Back left pin. That’s where everyone’s been. Only three birdies on the ninth hole today. I wonder if they were all long puts. We saw the the Yasha one. Oh, she’s held the flight well there. Se fantastic shot. Settle. Good shot. touch unlucky. You see that little knuckle just caught the right side of it. Yeah, she’s the first that we’ve seen that can hold that almost draw it into that wind to that line. You can see I think she’s just wanting to aim this at the flag and let it perhaps drift. That started a long way left. Excellent shot. as you say, one of the few we’ve seen get it left of this flag. She’s a ball striker. All right. Clips it, doesn’t she? Absolutely. A lot bolder there than perhaps I had anticipated. Rio Taka level for her day. This one up and over a brow of a hill at halfway. It’s a slow back into the wind for her three. Nicely done. And I just pop my head outside the commentary box. And that wind is certainly not abated. 300 ft apart in the first two rounds. This would be a bonus right here. Suppose you look at that that wind very different experience on the fairway bunker to here left to right. All right, Sophie. She’s just starting to stand over them for just that little bit longer. I know it could be the wind, but getting a little fidgety, a little tense. Expression says it all. A look of frustration. like she’s really heavily into that left thigh as well. Look how much more balanced and neutral this is from Takadan for part. I think if there has been something that’s kept her out the winning circle say young Kim it is that just kind of just you can’t miss this right else it’s lost ball down the middle the right leg flick. This is good. He’s watched a lot of Tiger Woods. Scotty and certainly Scotty Sheffler. Not that he misses many greens, but when he does, he gets them up and down. But yeah, I mean everything from Scotty Sheffller at the moment. Yeah, I think we’re seeing a little bit of the tiger red on Sunday. Say young. She goes with trousers, doesn’t she? Rather than shirt smack in the middle of the green. And this would be one coming from up above, up high into the wind that you would maybe be tempted to try and keep it down, but we’ve not seen her try that yet. Well, she plays her fade. This has got to start the green side bunker. Wow. more committed to it. Exited left and that ball just peeled. It’s a good look down this hole. This flight from Seyon. Going to get that chest over it. That was lovely. I love the way you played that. Took an extra club just kind of chip it down. That’s you always say, swing easy when it’s breezy. Take that extra club. Get unfortunately. It looks like she’s in a divot. See how this club gets into the back of the ball. Expect to see some turf right now. That’s unlucky as you say. So if you got a little unlucky with where the T-shot finished from a divot taking this one low. Good decision. We saw Minja Lee from that same spot. She went higher and it came up a lot shorter there. Superb iron into the heart of the green on 10 from right to left for Birdie. just stayed high. This back nine really pars are good and then there’s two par fives that will be getable for the players. So anything else you’re gaining really early on in this third round Matthews actually took a young Kim on the leaderboard but she keeps holding parts like that. Maybe just maybe it’s going to be her week again. A little chip from the right hand side. This could easily go to the right on her to the challenge. Home territory. Just got to go out there and pretend all those cheers are for you, haven’t you? You do indeed. Pin to do if there wasn’t the wind. Easiest pin. Hardest conditions. Just drive here 11 to the top of the slope. I see scampering down a little bit. That’s the 100 yd marker. that little red dot at the previous hole as well where she put it from nowhere. That’s good. I I agree. I mean a three put she’s been known to throw a few three puts in. It is an Achilles he lost any momentum. Yeah, that’s twice today she’s made bogey and twice she’s come back immediately with a birdie. I think being the longer cut, you know, not one you’re hoping to hold it, but you’re perhaps not expecting to hold it. Just takes that little bit of pressure, the expectation that you should be holding. Got to start this 20 yd left of the pin. She’s only got a wedge in a hand riding that left to right wind. So far away from that red line, close to the green. This ball sitting below the going to help with the lower ball flight, but it just tends to leak to the right from these lines. Also, She’s feeling it right now with her easy given the way she keeps going into the up slope. Little bit like 10 short right there. This could get quick. Too much respect. Left herself that downhill path up on the back edge of 11. And you think about this young I mentioned 106 events between when she won. She’s had him for 11 years. Very good partnership. Well, you can visually see the wind there affecting that part and this 11th green so exposed with your Brook Matthews watching that. How do you factor that in? It’s going to be really interesting to see whether she gets this to the ball. Yeah. I mean, what is it? She got 7 ft. You got to play it like it’s a 15 footer and then you slow down through impact. Oh, that’s a great straight unfortunately that roll back to her at the end through back to the tea box. Sean came out with driver trying to a little draw around the corner just catching the ups slope. Now the trouble is you spent the last few holes trying to keep a flight down. Aim it left. Now you’re trying to create an angle down the left. Carry over the bunker. 254. But you want to be turning it round there. Not quite the flight she’s used to. Good shot. But Brook Matthews might just have that length just to carry it that extra kind of 10 yards. Get the down slop and a little bit of a kick on. So, here we go. Full send. It doesn’t like it. I think she thought she flew it into the bunker on the right hand side, but that wind certainly helped. Moved it down from right to left. She is in the go zone right there. Yeah, the level play over these first three days has been exceptional from Sean Kim. Get over that bunker. Yeah, I think she’s got a good chance here just from that probably 225 230ish to the front. Downwind as well trying to hook one off that bunker. nets it down the right. Here she goes. Her third shot. Punching it in low. Can she get a bit of check? Oh, could it go in? What an effort. She keeps delivering. Say young Kim. Close. There’s a couple of sighters there for Rio Takada. Spir straight out the hole. Three excellent shots. It just shows the strike quality of those three. We’ve seen players run through the back here. Good going on at the back of the screen. Right hand side here. Sitting the other way. So, she moves to fourth on her own. She’s not going to grab the right edge there to get to 17 under. Four under for the par threes. Keeping them at arms length for now. Say young Kim. What a wonderful up and down. That was to the slightly easier par 313th. After a little wait for BTA got a ruling. Got to take an off club here. Yeah, she does. Sternum almost looks in front of the golf ball. She’s trying to keep it down so much to that left side. That one’s clean, I think. see any divot there. Refreshing to see Brick Matthews just gets on with it. Very quick player. Looking right. Sounded a good strike. Going nowhere. Teada. A very similar spot to Seline Beauty. Oh my goodness. And that was a very strange, I would say, choice of shot. You could see the blade laid way open. I think she thought she had that. She did that kind of little walk after it that would have got her to 20 under, but stays at 19. No stress cars, aren’t they? She’s just walking up, tapping them in. near save the day. Poor T-shot. Bad decision for the second. Taka is going to fall back to 13 under par six away from the lead. A chance to close the gap a little for back to back birdies. She just blasted that one straight through the brake. Need to stay concentrated on that one back. It’s choppy waters on the Yellow Sea, the ocean that in between Korea and China. Look at that. Out of the blue for Matthews. The lead now is three shots for Sean Kim. It’s as big as it’s been all day. It’s going to be interesting to see how she reacts to this. She’s just beginning to look a little flustered. There’s some reactions going on, isn’t there? She gave us nothing on the front nine. And there was a put ahead with the whack as the first put sailed by and then in and out of that. leading by three but a couple of toughies coming up for Sey Young Kimwood maybe into this hole today surprised at that just thought driver could reach that bunker they have moved the tea up by one still 250 might be a bit of anger behind this started left. Is it counting? It’s okay. You would say that’s the shot that she kind of is always fearful of looking at this that left side. See by the follow through just below her feet trying to get back onto this 143. Very good shot. Sounds different when she strikes it, doesn’t it? Thinking, don’t get frustrated. You’re one under par. Like, this is this is good. But just a putter that tires her out, tests her patience. Well, back there short of that bunker. But another good iron shot. Flushed Kim 158 yd up the hill into the wind playing more like 175. Okay. Well, I said she could have another wood into this green. something with a little less loft. Just down the hill off the right. Just picking your landing spot. Land it there and let it run down to the hole. Thought she was going, didn’t you? That had a really good chance. One thing with Seong, she’s going to stay aggressive, which I think is good. Don’t want to miss this low though cuz it will get away from you. There’s that gust of wind when you need it. And the wind’s blowing that way. If there is a gust, it would blow it in on the slide. She just wants to walk slowly up to that one and then you’ve got 10 seconds. Come on. You know you watch it. Doesn’t look like he’s going to though. That is so frustrating to think that counts as much that little shot counts as much as a 260 yard drive. Another bag was just blocking it out. We’ll see how fast this is. Matthews down the slope. She takes over. See whether she settles quickly. Smooth up. Yeah, that’s three good cars from that final group in the tough par 414th on our lead up. Back into the wind here. It’s a hard green to hit. turned it left into the bunker. Hopefully not plugged penalty area there. Do you want to do that? here cuz the wind is probably 10:00 into 10 11:00 into out the left. Good shot there. Clap from the caddy can. It’s a huge one. She was about 40 yds back towards that pin. Yeah, she’s dropped. They said that’s her third shot. Well, big problems here for Brook Matthews. We said problems for the leader. Well, her closest chaser with even more issues to deal with. And that’s not pretty there either. That’s right by the stairs. It’s going to be another drop, but a free drop this time away from that those stairs. But that’s not going to be easy off there either. That’s what the dot says. A little bit of chaos here. Sean Kim fighting it all the way. That was a classy shot. Take out the slope. Fly all the way down to the pin. Get the check on the shot. And yesterday this was the second hardest hole on the golf course. I think it’s going to be the hardest today with only those two birdies. Stop. This is all unraveling, isn’t it? Matthews there in four. Yeah. Penalty drop, free drop from the steps. Studed, but came out well. She had a handful of seconds in big amateur events and set up for a super Sunday. Taken a long way to hit this birdie putt. Watching her partners. Could this be the third birdie? Significant. We saw the two shot from Sean Kim. Wonder whether the the leader that’s on that narrow but I mean just got to compose yourself now as we scramble that head on those left shots. Get up there in a way like the Mini Pack. Guy we didn’t see it to to see actually. I mean obviously went horribly wrong. It’s about 25 yd wide the target. This would be a good sand safe. A lovely bunker shot. Carried it all the way to the flag. Got some check out the right. Oh, very well done. Stay at 19 under. She is going to stretch her lead here. She That’s as good as any birdie. Just want to tickle this one down the hill for park. Going to go past. It’s just as long coming back. Triple bogey six. Right edge firm. Yes, well done. That was good to keep her composure. Pull that one. Six back now. Climbing. So go Krina saying she doesn’t really need to worry about top 60. She carries on contending for the title. 60 week 62nd of the rankings. Yeah, with this wind helping off the right. So, just about fire this over that last little tree. You can see just right of the bunker. Let it drift it back towards the fairway. Perfect. You do have to hit it comfortably down the right, isn’t it? There’s breathtaking views, but it’s a wedge right hand side of the green. Take it. Yeah, that was a good shot. That see just aiming down that right side a little bit. It’s brilliant. It’s just so good by Sean Kim control of the golf ball in these conditions. Nine Matthew, she got a good read. Good try there. Three to just that wonderful second shot she hit in just slightly up the hill from left to right. The wind blowing off the right. Just keeping a we bit straighter. I think that was the wind. Good hold position today. Nobody inside the top 10 has made a burden on this throughout 2019 20 and 21. Say young Kim tricky little saw that a nine from her. She got that part to go. Five shots clear. Suddenly down to three there and there. Those three puts out of absolutely nowhere. Absolutely. I think that first pass you made a little left right and said I’m just going to jam it in there. Try and keep it stop the wind from moving it left and just got it all wrong. The Achilles team always comes out pressure situations or when it gets hard out there. We said about Brooke Matthews. She’s clearly got a left shot in her game. Then that one really came out on the 15th hole. Sean Kim can miss a short P. We’ve seen that now. 52 yd wind down from the right hand side. Come on the left. 300 y away. That’s perfect. Just safely down the middle on this 17th pole. Everything to do. High flight on this iron into 70. Came down so softly. She’s got that for eagle. already have one eagle today. Brooke should give for another one now. Huge bounce. Good shot though. I think she’s responded well after that triple bogey in 15. Gave herself a birdie chance in 16. Two good shots into 17. It’s on the right plateau. She’s got herself in Yeah, we’ve seen that from Brick Matthews. Just one one kind of slack shot can lead to disaster. No eagle, but it will be a birdie. Get back to 14 under at least into fourth place on our own. And there’s holes here where the P’s good. See Young after being slightly fortunate just clearing that bunker on the left. Good chance now for Eagle down the hill with a little left to right. The cheer. The raw says a lot. Bounce back ability. She’s had it all round long. this time with an eagle. And now the lead is five. You real just a birdie for Taka at the moment. Sean Kim is getting away. You’re talking about moments Katrina. Have we just seen one there on 17 from Seyong 18th hole? nervously as if it might be diving into the bunker, but it’s okay there. Five under pass. So young kids four under today started with the lead. See just down that CV is tack level and one over park. Yeah, that conquer that we see on the left’s 276. So downwind that’s going to be in range for Brook Matthews. at all speeds. They’re pushing 150 mph at the moment. You can see on the graphic on the left, you can see that slope 20 yards on and then seven over that. That was an unforced error. She just looked undecided in that one. She couldn’t decide what sort of shot she was wanting to try and play. Taka ball below her feet. move one in from left to right. She’s got the striking ability to hold this pin. Very good. As you see the quality of the ball straight gets the spin on that and able to stop it up on that top level. Crowd’s really big around this 18. That’s Matthew’s board on his way. She’s into the other bunker again. An unforced error after that big drive. She was in prime position. It’s indecision sometimes that leads to bad shots. See that there halfway got a little bit of check and ran it down. Look at those crowds. They got every every little spot covered. That’s the hard thing I think about golf. You’re not Come on, Brook. Hold this curler from right to left. Tail up. It’s been a difficult closing stretch for Brooke Matthews. She was going toe-to-toe so long today with Sean Kim and looking very much like she belong. But around punctured by that triple bo. Yeah, she’ll feel kind of devastated, gutted right now, but I think give herself a little bit of time then. Stay in touch. This one swipes across the hole from right to left. Heat. Heat. God, she wants to hold this. No lead is big enough. Five shots seems a lot more than four. So the lead will be four 18 hours to go this BMW ladies championship for Sean Kim. It’s been fabulous front running ever since that first day. Course record 62 66 yesterday 69 today. Sunday is going to be a huge day for her.
