Ideal scoring conditions on Saturday at the Sunrise Golf & Country Club saw birdies flying during the third round of the Wistron Ladies Open, a $1-million TLPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour (LET) co-sanctioned event.

36-hole leader, Swiss player Chiara Tamburlini made five birdies and just one bogey to broaden her lead to four shots ahead of the final round on 9-under 207.

South Africa’s Nicole Garcia and Austrian Emma Spitz went toe-to-toe with 70-73-68 211 to sit in a tie for second.

Local hopeful Hou Yu-Sang (侯羽桑) carded a 71 to trail by five shots on 4-under 212, tying France’s Nastasia Nadaud and Thai Chonlada Chayanun. Wang Li-Ning (王莉甯) picked up a fine eagle on the 9th hole and registered a 68 to climb 15 spots up into solo seventh on 3-under par 213.

Current LET Order of Merit No.1 Chiara Tamburlini made her only bogey in the third round on the 8th hole, but quickly rebounded with a birdie on the 9th. “I was more and more comfortable on this course. I felt I knew better where to go and where I should put the ball. I improved my ball-striking, created a lot of chances today, and got lucky a couple of times as well,” said Tamburlini, who rolled in a confidence-boosting birdie on the 13th after her tee shot barely avoided the water hazard.

Nicole Garcia is still awaiting her first triumph on the LET after more than ten seasons. She showcased great short game today despite low fairway percentage to turn in a 4-under 68 and gave herself another shot at the victory, sitting tied for second with Emma Spitz.

Spitz made an eagle on the 6th, followed by birdies on 9th and 11th and ultimately finished the round bogey-free. “It was a great eagle. I hit an amazing driver to the center of the narrow fairway. It was not easy at all with a huge lake on the right and a bunker on the left. Then I took out my 3-wood to go for the flag, and it flew straight at it and left just a 6-foot eagle putt. This was definitely my best hole this whole week,” said the Austrian.

Hou Yu-Sang, elder sister of 2023 Wistron Ladies Open winner Hou Yu-Chiang (侯羽薔), and Wang Li-Ning are carrying the local hopes standing five and six shots behind the lead. Hou hit 13 greens in regulation, but she felt she left a bunch of birdie chances wasted and could only settle for a 71. Wang, on the other hand, displayed superb touch on the greens, needing only 26 putts and converting one eagle on the 9th hole in a 68 card.

“It was a bit shaky from the tee. But I made some pretty good saves from the edge of the fairways. I think my approaches were great. They put the ball on the right place on the greens for me to have some easy putts,” Wang said. “Hopefully my game would stay at this level in the final round tomorrow.”

Wistron Ladies Open is the first ever TLPGA Tour Tournament co-sanctioned by the LET. 45 LET members made their trip to Taiwan to compete with 45 TLPGA Tour pros and 18 local invites at the TLPGA Tour major event from Thursday to Sunday. The winner tomorrow will receive $200,000.