Ochoa, Friberg tied at LPGA Classic
PRATTVILLE — Winless since May, top-ranked Lorena Ochoa shot a 3-under 69 on Saturday for a share of third-round lead in the Navistar LPGA Classic. The Mexican star, making her first start since tying for sixth in the Safeway Classic on Aug. 24, matched Louise Friberg (65) at 13-under 203.
Ochoa has four top-seven finishes in a row, but is winless in seven starts. She opened the year with six wins in nine events, including four straight.
After opening with consecutive 67s, Ochoa had five birdies and two bogeys in the third round on the links-style Senator Course, part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail's Capitol Hill complex.
Friberg, the MasterCard Classic winner in Mexico in March in only her third start as a tour member and fourth overall, had seven birdies in her bogey-free round.
LPGA Championship winner Yani Tseng (68), Christina Kim (69), Song-Hee Kim (69), Michele Redman (70) and second-round leader Janice Moodie (67) were 11 under.
"I'm very excited for tomorrow," Tseng said. "I'm looking forward to it. I'm ready to win. I'll do my best. ... I feel like I'll keep playing well. I'm only two shots behind. I'll do my best, stay relaxed and have fun."
