Rio Takeda and Hye-Jin Choi top a crowded leaderboard at 15 under heading into the final round of the $5 million PIF Saudi Ladies International. Both players are currently ranked inside the top 20 in the world, and the pack chasing them includes a number of heavy hitters.
Choi carded a sizzling 65 at Riyadh Golf Club while Takeda shot 66 in Round 3 of the LET’s season-opening event. South Korea’s Choi has James Longman on the bag this week. Longman recently wed Solheim Cup star Carlota Ciganda, who sits two back at 13 under after back-to-back 68s. The Spaniard won a car earlier this week after an ace.
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Takeda’s 66 included a wild eagle on the par-5 12th that saw her second shot scurry through a greenside bunker.
Charley Hull, the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 5, trails by three after carding a second straight 67. Hull, who has won previously at Riyadh, is one of 16 players within four shots of the lead.
Other notables include new mom Alison Lee, who played with rental clubs the first two days and shot 65 with her own set on Saturday. Lee sits in a share of fourth at 13 under. She’s joined by the Iwai twins – Chizzy and Akie – who won’t play together in the final round. The sisters both won on the LPGA as rookies last year.
Hye-Jin Choi takes a share of the lead going into the final round of the PIF Saudi Ladies International
England’s Mimi Rhodes held the lead at the midway point but fell to a share of 13th, four back, after a 72.
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The winner this week will earn a $750,000 check, more than all but two players made all season on the LET in 2025. The $5 million purse is the largest on any tour outside the five LPGA majors and season-ending CME Group Tour Championship, which is $11 million. Saudi-backed events remain controversial, given the wide-ranging human rights abuses Saudi Arabia has been accused of, especially toward women.
The LPGA is in the midst of a two-week break before resuming next week in Asia.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Charley Hull trails by 3 shots at $5 million Saudi International
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