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Schmelzel and Valenzuela lead LPGA pairs event / Photo: © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Schmelzel and Valenzuela lead LPGA pairs event
American Sarah Schmelzel and Switzerland's Albane Valenzuela combined to post a two-under par 68 on Saturday that propelled them to a one-shot lead going into the final round of the LPGA Dow Championship pairs event.
The duo -- both chasing a first LPGA title -- had four birdies in the alternate-shot (foursomes) format, building a 13-under par total of 197 at Midland Golf Club in Michigan for a one-stroke lead over Manon De Roey and Pauline Roussin-Bouchard and Im Jin-ee and Lee So-mi.
Belgium's De Roey and France's Roussin-Bouchard had three birdies and two bogeys in their one-under 69.
They were joined on 198 by South Koreans Im and Lee, who posted a 68.
Schmelzel said their birdie at the first calmed "the nerves of foursomes".
"You're kind of on pins and needles most of the day, just hoping you don't get your partner in trouble," she said.
After a bogey at the fifth, they had back-to-back birdies at six and seven to take the solo lead, Schmelzel rolling in both putts.
Valenzuela drilled a birdie putt at the ninth and after a bogey at 11 they parred their way in -- a few birdie chances going begging.
De Roey and Roussin-Bouchard started the day two adrift and took some time to warm up, possibly, Roussin-Bouchard said, because of the adjustment from Friday's best-ball format back to alternate shot.
"It's not that we were really stressed or anything," the French player said. "It's just that momentum didn't come straightaway. Clutch putt on five to get a par -- I think after that it actually kind of loosened us up a little bit."
They grabbed a first birdie at the seventh but bogeyed the eighth, then had two birdies and a bogey coming in.
That included De Roey's six-foot birdie putt at the 17th and they were looking forward to the final round after shooting a 61 in Friday's four-ball.
Overnight leaders Jennifer Kupcho and Leona Maguire salvaged a tough day with a birdie-birdie finish, their two-over 72 giving them a share of fourth on 11-under 199.
They were tied with South Koreans Park Sung-hyun and Yoon Ina and Americans Lauren Hartlage and Brooke Matthews.
Kupcho is in familiar territory heading into the final round, having won the title with Lizette Salas in 2022 and teamed with Ally Ewing to finish runners-up last year.
E. da Cruz--JDB
