Defending champions Cydney Clanton and Jasmine Suwannapura carded their third straight 65 in an alternate shot round on Friday to grab a share of the lead heading into the final day of the LPGA Great Lakes Bay Invitational.
The tandem went bogey-free at the windy Midland Country Club course in Michigan and are tied with Thailand’s Pajaree Anannarukarn and India’s Aditi Ashok at 15-under par 195. The teams will finish by playing best-ball format on Saturday.
In 2019, Thailand’s Suwannapura and American Clanton won the event by six shots.
The tournament, which was launched in 2019 but cancelled last year due to the pandemic, follows an alternate shot or foursome format in the first and third rounds and better ball, or fourball, in the second and final round.
England’s Mel Reid and Spain’s Carlota Ciganda were third on 14-under after shooting 66.
Thai sisters Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn had a 71 to drop into a tie for fourth at 13-under with South Korean Kim A-lim and American Yealimi Noh (66) and South Koreans Hur Mi-jung and Lee6 Jeong-eun (68).
The Jutanugarns shot a 59 in best ball play Thursday.
Nelly and Jessica Korda shot a 66 Friday and are at 10-under after being tied for the first-round lead.
World number one Nelly Korda is making her first start since winning the Meijer Classic and the Women’s PGA in consecutive weeks. The sisters will compete in the Olympics for the Team USA.
The Evian Championship, the fourth major of the year, is next week in France.
gph/js