Chinese rookie Miranda Wang grabs three-shot LPGA lead at TPC Boston

NEW YORK: Chinese rookie Miranda Wang fired a bogey-free 7-under par 65 to seize a three-shot lead on Saturday in the weather-disrupted LPGA FM Championship at TPC Boston.

Wang, a 26-year-old who helped Duke University win the prestigious NCAA US collegiate team crown in 2019, put herself in striking position for a first LPGA title in Sunday’s final round.

She piled up seven birdies on the way to a 18-under par total of 198 — three clear of 36-hole leader Kim Sei-young of South Korea and American Rose Zhang.

It was another stroke back to world No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand and American Andrea Lee.

Wang had managed to polish off her second-round 67 on Friday night, shortly before play was suspended by darkness on a day that featured three stoppages.

Three shots behind Kim to start the third round, Wang marched up the leaderboard with a solid display on the greens.

She followed a birdie at the second with three straight birdies at six, seven and eight and rapped in another birdie putt at the par-five 12th to push her lead to three strokes.

She added birdies at 14 and 18, finishing with just 24 putts to maintain her advantage.

“I did a good job today,” Wang said. “I really want to give myself some credit. This is where all the players want to be, so it’s definitely special going into the final round being the sole leader.”

Kim and Zhang both had marathon days after completing just four holes on Friday.

Kim returned to complete a seven-under 65 and grab the lead, but she couldn’t maintain the pace and posted a one-under 71 in the third round.

She faltered early with bogeys at the second and third holes and was two-over through nine before rolling in three birdies and signing for a one-under 71 that kept her in