LOS ANGELES — Nasa Hataoka took advantage of Jin Young Ko's late meltdown Saturday to take a four-stroke lead into the final round of the DIO Implant LA Open.
Tied for the lead with Hataoka after a birdie on the par-5 15th, the top-ranked Ko bogeyed the par-4 16th and made a quadruple-bogey 8 on the 17th after failing twice to get the ball out of the deep barranca.
Hataoka birdied the 16th and parred the final two holes for a 4-under 67 and 11-under 202 total at breezy Wilshire Country Club. The 23-year-old from Japan has five LPGA Tour victories, winning twice last season.