China\u2019s Jing Yan answered any questions about handling a first-time lead on the LPGA Tour by backing up her overnight advantage to remain in front after three rounds at Blythefield Country Club.<\/p>\n
Yan sits at 14-under-par after extending a remarkable stretch of 47 consecutive bogey-free holes and will chase a maiden LPGA Tour victory on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Porter, however, remains right in the hunt.\u00a0The Australian will begin the final round in outright third at 12-under, trailing Yan by two shots and sitting one behind England\u2019s Lottie Woad (-13), with all three players chasing a breakthrough victory.<\/p>\n
Porter\u2019s position comes after another composed round on a course she said became noticeably tougher as conditions evolved throughout the day.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, definitely,\u201d Porter said when asked whether the course had firmed up.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the first nine was very similar to the last few days, but on the back nine the greens started to firm up. The pace of my putting kind of showed that.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the course is ever-changing out there and it\u2019s kind of fun.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rather than adjusting expectations as conditions shifted, Porter said she leaned heavily on routine and perspective.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s definitely a time where you need to rely on your processes a lot and just remind yourself that, as I said a couple of days ago, it\u2019s all not that bad,\u201d Porter said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re out here, we\u2019re having a great time and the fans here are incredible. Just looking up and seeing them, they\u2019re all so cheerful and happy to be here, has been really good for us.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut yeah, mostly just focusing on the process.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now, with her first LPGA Tour title opportunity looming, Porter admitted there will be nerves, but welcomed them.<\/p>\n
\u201cA wise friend of mine said to me that nerves and excitement are exactly the same feeling,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not going to lie, there\u2019s a lot of that, but what a privilege.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really excited to go out there tomorrow and just see what happens.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll stick to the same game plan, but yeah, how cool.\u201d<\/p>\n
Porter had spoken earlier in the week about not getting a trophy on Saturday and, despite moving into contention, she stayed true to that approach.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is what we do it for,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do it for the nerves of being in that position, we do it for the excitement of it and we do it for the opportunity to win.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t actually said that ‘w’ word yet, but as I said, we\u2019re not holding any silverware yet.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one is, and no one will until about 4:30 tomorrow afternoon.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re all out here just grinding and doing our best, and we\u2019ll see how that finishes for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
As for preparations ahead of what could become the biggest day of her career to date?\u00a0Porter\u2019s plans were refreshingly uncomplicated.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going to sleep like a baby, to be honest, because I am exhausted,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re staying in a really nice little town and there\u2019s a river close by, so we went for a walk this morning and I think that really helped calm the mind, because my mind gets pretty busy.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut yeah, same thing tonight. I think I\u2019ve had tacos for the last six nights in a row, so I think that\u2019s going to be a seventh tonight. Not that I\u2019m suspicious at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n \u00a9 Golf Australia. All rights reserved.
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