Maguire left playing catch up as Meadow revives card hopes in Florida
Nelly Korda. Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
Leona Maguire conceded she needs to be more aggressive and hole more putts after a two-under 68 saw her fall four strokes behind Lexi Thompson and world number one Nelly Korda heading into the final round of the Pelican Women's Championship in Florida.
As Stephanie Meadow shot 66 to move into position to salvage her LPGA Tour card, Maguire made four birdies in a two-under-par effort but fell back to solo eighth on 12-under.
The Cavan star reckons she may need to repeat her opening 62 to have a chance of clinching that maiden LPGA Tour win as Thompson made six birdies in a five-under 65 and Korda racked up eight a best-of-the-day, seven-under 63 to lead by a shot from Jennifer Kupcho (66) on 16-under par.
Playing in the penultimate group, Maguire never got much momentum as playing partners Mi Hyang Lee and Matilda Castren struggled to rounds of 73 and 72 respectively at Pelican Golf Club near Tampa.
"Bit of a slow day," said Maguire, who birdied the sixth and ninth but came home in level par as birdies at the 14th and 17th were cancelled out by bogeys at the par-three 12th and 15th holes.
"I gave myself a few chances early on but didn't really hole any putts; didn't get any momentum going.
"I just didn't really get it going on the back nine, really… I mean, four back probably needs another 62 tomorrow. We'll go out early and try and post a number."
She added: "I feel like I been hitting a nice, giving myself lots of chances and just need to hole a few more putts really. I've probably been a little bit tentative, so maybe I will be a little bit more aggressive tomorrow."
It was a far better day for 29-year-old Jordanstown star Meadow, who lies 101st in the Race to CME Globe points list with only the top 100 on Sunday night avoiding a trip to the Q-Series.
After making 18 pars in a second successive 70 on Friday, Meadow putted better in round three, carding five birdies in a four-under 66 to move to a projected 99th in the points standings.
She's tied for 41st on four-under-par but believes she may need to get to 10-under to keep her card as she's vulnerable with a host of players bidding to break into the top 100 with a low final round.
"There is so much golf left," added Meadow, who revealed she recently went back to an old college coach in Arizona. "I have 18 more holes, and it's not just me; it's everybody. There are other girls that can move me out, too.
"I think the most important thing is just to do my best and go as low as I can. I had 10-under in my head after yesterday finishing even through the cut, and so I'm thinking that leaves it not to chance."
At the PGA Tour's weather-delayed Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open, Shane Lowry (two-over), Graeme McDowell (three-over) and Seamus Power (five-over) all missed the one-over cut when the second round was eventually completed early on Saturday.
McDowell was on the one-over cut mark with six holes to complete when play was suspended on Friday but dropped two shots coming in, carding a 75 to miss his 11th cut from 19 starts this year.
Memorial Park Golf Course got the better of the field for the third day running with US Ryder Cup Scottie Scheffler on track for his maiden win after he followed a course record 62 with a one-under 69 to lead by one stroke from Venezuela's Jhonattan Vegas (68), Matthew Wolff (69), Kramer Hickok (70), Kevin Tway (73) and overnight leader Martin Trainer (74) on seven-under-par.
