After two days at the top of the leaderboard, Michelle Zhang has new company joining her in the battle for the Epson Tour Championship title. With a third-round 64, Kaleigh Telfer climbed her way from fourth place into a tie for first.
The South African recorded an 8-under 64 on the third day, besting her second-round score by two shots and her first-round score by four. Saturday’s round got off to a quick start for Telfer, who made a birdie on her second hole of the day, and little did she know how quickly she would shoot up the leaderboard. After a par on the 3rd hole, Telfer began a five-hole birdie streak that would carry her from 11-under to 16-under headed into the back nine. Her move up the leaderboard took a quick pause on hole 11, where Telfer made her lone bogey of the day. The Auburn University graduate recorded three more birdies on the day, making those on holes 13, 15 and 18, the last of which almost saw an eagle from Telfer.
“I went out and wasn't hitting it very well on the range, so I just came out and I had zero expectations. I just made a couple putts in the beginning and then started hitting it close, too, and everything just fell in place.”
Thanks to just three bogeys throughout her last three rounds, the 25-year-old could earn her first win on the Epson Tour since joining as a rookie in 2022. Over her two-year career, Telfer has recorded three top-10 finishes, all of which took place this year at the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship (T5), Four Winds Invitational (T6) and the Guardian Championship (T9). Both the trophy and the winner’s check would be huge for Telfer as she looks to make her way into the top 35 in the Race for the Card and have a chance at earning her LPGA Tour card through LPGA Q-Series.
“I’m trying not to think that far ahead. Obviously it would be a dream and I've been working towards to the whole year,” she said. “For it (a win) to come at such a clutch time would be huge.”
Eighteen-year-old Zhang continued her strong play and maintained her position on the leaderboard headed into the final round. She recorded her second bogey-free round of the week on Saturday, making birdies on Nos. 3, 13, 15 and 17. With her third-round 68, Zhang extended her streak of 24 holes without a bogey in the championship to an impressive 42 blemish-free holes.
“It's being patient out there. I had a bit of a slow start. I birdied my first -- like my third hole and then just couldn't really putt; didn't give myself really good position,” said Zhang. “Seeing Minji definitely pushed me, her making all those birdie putts, and I'm like I need to make some, too. Just being patient out there and knowing there is going to be more birdie opportunities for me as well.”
In just her fifth month on the Epson Tour, Zhang has recorded two top-10 finishes and five additional top-20 finishes, missing just one cut across 12 events. Her success in her short time as a professional has seen her rise to 47th in the Race for the Card standings. With a win this week, Zhang could finish within the top 35 and earn a trip to LPGA Q-Series that will see her entry fee covered by Seiko Epson Corporation.
“I like to say this is fresh (being in contention), like I haven't had anything like this before. Just knowing this is my first time, not having any record, and compared to some girls out here that have been trying to get a win for a bit now,” said Zhang, whose scoring goal headed into the week was 20-under. “For me, it's kind of like if I win, this is amazing. If I don't win, it's still a great week for me.”
Telfer and Zhang will not be the only two players aiming to claim their first victory on the Epson Tour on Sunday as the duo will be joined by Epson Tour rookie Minji Kang in the final pairing tomorrow at 9:51 a.m. Kang shot a 67 on Saturday with six birdies and just one bogey. The Republic of Korea native and Atlanta, Ga. resident started steady, making three birdies on her front nine, two of which were within three holes. She made the turn at 15-under on the day before making a pair of birdies on Nos. 13 and 14, followed by a bogey on hole 16 and a birdie on her last hole.
The players in the tee time prior (9:39 a.m.) sit two shots behind the leaders and one shot behind Kang headed into the final round. Three Americans, Dorsey Addicks, Auston Kim and Gurleen Kaur, look to also win their first Epson Tour titles. Addicks, a 2018 Epson Tour rookie, shot a bogey-free 63 on Saturday, tying the best 18-hole score of the week and matching what she previously shot in last year’s third round of the Epson Tour Championship.
Vanderbilt University graduate Kim followed up her Friday 64 with a Saturday 65, which included only one par on the back nine and just five pars throughout the round. She made a whopping 10 birdies on Moving Day to sit in a share of fourth with 18 to play. Three-time LPGA Tour Monday qualifier Kaur shot her second 66 of the week, this time without a single bogey.
Tomorrow, players in the field will not only vie for the win at LPGA International, but several players will look to solidify their plans for the upcoming year. With three LPGA Tour cards already clinched, there are still seven remaining cards to be claimed through the Race for the Card top 10. After tomorrow’s play, those 10 cards will be distributed, and the LPGA Tour will welcome 10 Epson Tour graduates for the 2024 season.
)
)
)
)
