Saigo of Japan Leads by One Stroke after Three Rounds of LPGA Event in China

Mao Saigo of Japan watches her tee shot on the 4rd hole during the third round of the LPGA Shanghai at Shanghai Qizhong Garden Golf Club in Shanghai, China, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
Mao Saigo of Japan watches her tee shot on the 4rd hole during the third round of the LPGA Shanghai at Shanghai Qizhong Garden Golf Club in Shanghai, China, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
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Saigo of Japan Leads by One Stroke after Three Rounds of LPGA Event in China

Mao Saigo of Japan watches her tee shot on the 4rd hole during the third round of the LPGA Shanghai at Shanghai Qizhong Garden Golf Club in Shanghai, China, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
Mao Saigo of Japan watches her tee shot on the 4rd hole during the third round of the LPGA Shanghai at Shanghai Qizhong Garden Golf Club in Shanghai, China, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)

Mao Saigo of Japan shot a 7-under 65 to take a one-shot lead after three rounds of the Buick LPGA Shanghai on Saturday. It was her second consecutive round of 65.

Saigo, who is 18 under overall, is looking for her first victory on the LPGA Tour, The AP reported.

She was one shot clear of Ruoning Yin of China, who carded a 63 — the day’s low round at Qizhong Garden Golf Club.

Sei Young Kim of South Korea, who led the first two rounds, made 69 and trailed the leader by three going into Sunday’s final day. Kim opened with a 62 in the first round, the low score of the tournament.

Also within striking distance of the leaders was Yealimi Noh of the United States, whose 68 put her five off the pace.

Six more players were seven strokes back in a tightly bunched field.

Two of the LPGA’s top players — Nelly Korda and Lydia Ko — are not in the field this week. Both are entered next week in the BMW Ladies Championship in South Korea.



Zverev is Out of United Cup Mixed Teams Event with Biceps Injury

Alexander Zverev of Germany celebrates a crucial point from Zhizhen Zhang of China during their United Cup tennis match in Perth, Australia, Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Trevor Collens)
Alexander Zverev of Germany celebrates a crucial point from Zhizhen Zhang of China during their United Cup tennis match in Perth, Australia, Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Trevor Collens)
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Zverev is Out of United Cup Mixed Teams Event with Biceps Injury

Alexander Zverev of Germany celebrates a crucial point from Zhizhen Zhang of China during their United Cup tennis match in Perth, Australia, Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Trevor Collens)
Alexander Zverev of Germany celebrates a crucial point from Zhizhen Zhang of China during their United Cup tennis match in Perth, Australia, Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Trevor Collens)

World No. 2-ranked Alexander Zverev withdrew from the United Cup mixed teams tennis tournament on Wednesday with a biceps strain less than two weeks from the start of the Australian Open.
The 27-year-old Zverev won his opening two singles matches of the season against Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro and China’s Zheng Zhizhen at the United Cup.
He was scheduled to face Alexander Shevchenko of Kazakhstan in Perth in the United Cup quarterfinals, but withdrew at the last minute with Kazakhstan leading the tie 1-0 after Elena Rybakina beat Laura Siegemund 6-3, 6-1.
“Alexander Zverev has withdrawn from the United Cup due to a bicep strain,” The Associated Press quoted organizers as saying. “Daniel Masur will take his place for Team Germany in today’s singles match against Kazakhstan.”
Zverev has not won a Grand Slam singles title, finishing as runner-up in the 2020 US Open and the 2024 French Open. The Australian Open begins Jan. 12.