Jennifer Kupcho made a 12-foot eagle putt on the final hole to cut Austin Ernst's lead to a stroke Saturday in the LPGA Tour’s Drive On Championship.
Kupcho shot a 2-under 70 at Golden Ocala, setting up the eagle with a fairway wood that just cleared the rocks and water fronting the green on the par-5 18th.
Ernst parred the last six holes in a 69. The two-time LPGA Tour winner was at 13-under 203.
Austin Ernst lines up a put on the fringe of the green on eight during the third round of the LPGA golf tournament in Ocala, Fla., Saturday March 6, 2021. (Alan YoungbloodOcala Star-Banner via AP)during the third round of the LPGA golf tournament in Ocala, Fla., Saturday March 6, 2021. (Alan YoungbloodOcala Star-Banner via AP)
Kupcho is winless on the tour. The former Wake Forest star from Colorado won the 2018 NCAA title and the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur in 2019 with a back-nine charge.
Albane Valenzuela (66), Patty Tavatanakit (69) and Jenny Coleman (70) were tied for third at 7 under.
Nelly Korda had a 76 to drop to 3 under. She won the Gainbridge LPGA last week at Lake Nona after sister Jessica Korda took the season-opening Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions.
Nelly Korda drives on hole eight during the third round of the LPGA golf tournament in Ocala, Fla., Saturday March 6, 2021. (Alan YoungbloodOcala Star-Banner via AP)
Laura Davies, the 57-year-old Hall of Famer who rebounded from an opening 75 with a 69 on Friday to advance to the weekend at even par, was 4 over after a 76. She's playing on a World Golf Hall of Fame exemption.
CORRECTS YEAR TO 2021 NOT 2020 - Jennifer Kupcho reads the green during the third round of the LPGA golf tournament in Ocala, Fla., Saturday March 6, 2020. (Alan YoungbloodOcala Star-Banner via AP)