Leona Maguire joins Lydia Ko at the top of the LPGA Tour Championship

NAPLES, Fla. — Ireland’s Leona Maguire made four straight birdies midway through the round and added a pair of birdies late in the round to put up a 63 (minus-9). This performance allowed her to catch Lydia Ko at the top of the LPGA Tour Championship and set the stage for the most lucrative round of golf in women’s golf history.

At stake on Sunday, on the Tiburon Golf Club course, it will be the $2 million purse for the winner.

As Ko tries to complete a double by winning the highest paying tournament in women’s golf history and winning the title of LPGA Golfer of the Year, Maguire would be very happy to win the ultimate tournament of the season. .

The gap between Maguire, one of 11 golfers who have had their first coronation this season, and Ko is too big to see the Irishwoman win the title of LPGA Golfer of the Year. Still, the $2M prize pool would be nearly double what Maguire has earned in his previous 23 competitions.

Ko entered the day with a five-stroke lead — seven strokes ahead of Maguire — and produced a mix of birdies and bogeys that undermined his round. She even found herself one shot behind Maguire until she landed a birdie at the 17th flag. She finished with a score of 70.

The two leaders completed the first three rounds in 201 strokes, for a combined score of minus-15.

No rival came within five shots of them. Former United States Open champion Jeongeun Lee6 had a 68 and Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh a 69. They were 10 under.

Canadian Brooke Henderson has kept her slim hopes of winning the LPGA Golfer of the Year award alive. The Ontarian, who had to retire last week with a back injury, had two eagles in her round of 65 and sits at 9 under.

Henderson must win the tournament and Ko must finish third or lower to win Player of the Year.

« If I could have another day like this tomorrow, that would be really nice, » she said.