Teenager Korda takes third-round lead at Women's Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Australia -- American teenager Jessica Korda moved into position for a two-sport, father-daughter Australian double, shooting an even-par 73 on Saturday to take the third-round lead in the Women's Australian Open at difficult Royal Melbourne.

Korda, the 18-year-old daughter of 1998 Australian Open singles tennis champion Petr Korda, had a 4-under 215 total in the LPGA Tour opener on the historic club's composite course, the 2011 Presidents Cup venue that is hosting a women's professional event for the first time. She opened with rounds of 72 and 70.

So Yeon Ryu, the U.S. Women's Open champion who took a one-stroke lead into the third round, was a stroke back along with fellow South Korean player Hee Kyung-seo and Australia's Nikki Campbell. Ryu shot a 76, Seo had a 75, and Campbell a 70.

Top-ranked Yani Tseng, the Australian winner the last two years at Commonwealth Golf Club, topped the group at 2 under after a 71. The Taiwanese star was still smarting from a three-hole stretch Friday in her second-round 76 when she dropped six strokes with a quadruple-bogey 8 and two bogeys.

Canada's Lorie Kane and American Katie Futcher also were 2 under. The 47-year-old Kane had a 72, and Futcher shot a 71.

Korda, seeking her first LPGA Tour victory, birdied Nos. 7, 9 and 10 -- all par 4s -- for a share of the lead with Ryu at 6 under. Korda dropped strokes with bogeys on the par-4 13th and par-5 17th.

When she arrived in Melbourne, Korda was picked up at the airport by former Australian pro Mike Clayton, who caddied for her in a practice round the next day.

Searching for a caddie for his daughter, Petr Korda had phoned friend and fellow Australian Open Czech tennis winner Ivan Lendl, who was in Melbourne last month as coach of Scottish player Andy Murray.

"Ivan goes out and plays golf with Michael all the time so he told me Michael would get me a caddie," Jessica Korda said. "I came out here on Sunday with a buggy ready to walk by myself and he caddied for me.

"He was a really good help and it was a lot of fun," she said. "He knows the course and the greens probably as well as anyone."

Korda said it would be "an awesome thing" if she was to emulate her father's achievement.

She said he played golf but "he caddied for me (on the LPGA Tour) last year and was so sick of golf at the end of it that the only time we got him out was in December once or twice."

Korda said she was unfazed by leading the tournament at the age of 18.

"It feels like any other day, honestly. Don't get me wrong, it feels really good but I have one more day left," she said.

She said she would be nervous on the first tee on Sunday but not afraid.

"It's something to embrace and it's a good feeling to be out there and on top of the leaderboard."

Ryu birdied the second and third holes to reach 8 under, but played her final 14 holes in 5 over with six bogeys and a birdie. She bogeyed the par-4 18th to drop out of a tie for the lead.

Campbell had the best round of the day with her 70. She had five birdies and two bogeys.

Only nine players were under par after three rounds, with long-hitting American Brittany Lincicome and Paraguay's Julieta Granada three strokes back at 1 under. Lincicome had a 73, and Granada shot a 76.

American Stacy Lewis, 4 under after opening rounds of 69 and 73, was even par after a 70.

Fourteen-year-old New Zealand amateur Lydia Ko was 3 over after a 72, one of only nine sub-par rounds Saturday. She won the New South Wales Open two weeks ago to become the youngest winner of a sanctioned professional tour event.

Australian star Karrie Webb, a four-time winner in the event, was 6 over after her third straight 75.

Second-ranked Suzann Pettersen also was 6 over after a 74. The Norwegian star opened with an 80 -- the second-highest score of her LPGA Tour career -- and had a 71 on Friday to make the cut.

The LPGA Tour is sanctioning the national championship for the first time, teaming with Australian Ladies Professional Golf and the Ladies European Tour.