Min Woo Lee and Rikuya Hoshino share moving day lead at Australian Open

Golf

Published: 02 Dec. 2023, 20:21

Min Woo Lee and Rikuya Hoshino share moving day lead at Australian Open

Min Woo Lee of Australia plays a shot from the bunker on the 18th hole during the third round of the 2023 Australian Open at the Australian Golf Club in Sydney on Saturday. [AP/YONHAP]

Min Woo Lee made a dramatic birdie on the 18th hole to keep his bid of winning back-to-back titles on track despite a challenging day in the third round of the Australia Open on Saturday.

Lee produced a trademark dazzling chip from the bunker and then rolled in for birdie on the par-5 18th to move back to the top of the leaderboard at 13-under with Japan’s Rikuya Hoshino.

The 25-year-old Western Australian's adventurous day included four birdies, a bogey and a double bogey for a round of 70 which included a number of shots from difficult lies in fairway rough or bunkers at The Australian course.

In contrast, Hoshino — who finished runner-up to Lee at last week’s Australian PGA Championship — was bogey-free and steadily climbed the leaderboard with four birdies and an eagle on the par-5 14th in a round of 65.

“Last week I couldn’t make the birdie on the back nine, but this week I have more birdies at the back nine to make the winning (possible),” Hoshino said. “This is the first time in Australia for me and I’m enjoying this atmosphere and also this tournament. That’s why I’m playing well.”

The Sydney tournament features men’s and women’s fields and is being played on a two-venue format.

Defending champion Ashleigh Buhai of South Africa led the women's field at 12-under, three shots clear of two-time major winner Shin Ji-yai of Korea and seven shots ahead of Australia's Minjee Lee, the older sister of Min Woo Lee.

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Buhai birdied her first four holes on her way to a 67 while Shin had a mixed day with an even par 72, and Lee put a disappointing second round behind her with a 67 to surge up the leaderboard.

“I just hit my irons a little bit closer and that just gave myself a couple more opportunities for birdies,” Lee said. “So yeah, had a really nice front nine and made one bogey and one birdie on the back. I’ll just have to post a really low score tomorrow, I think, but I can do it.”

Teenage amateur Ann Jang, from Sydney, made the shot of the day with a rare albatross at the par-5 first hole, but still finished with a 73 and in a tie for 22nd at 4 over.

AP