Maude-Aimee LeBlancBernard Brault
There's a three-way tie for the lead at 12-under par after three rounds of the CN Canadian Women's Open.
Tour rookie Tiffany Joh posted the low round of the day - and of her brief LPGA career - a bogey-free 7-under 65 and finds herself tied atop the leaderboard with defending champion Michelle Wie and former world number one Ai Miyazato heading into Sunday's final round.
Wie had five birdies and a single bogey for her third straight sub-70 round. She's looking to become the first repeat Canadian champion since Pat Bradley, who successfully defended her title in 1985 when the tournament was played at the Club de golf Beaconsfield in Pointe-Claire, Quebec.
"It always feels good to be in contention," said Wie, who hasn't posted a top-10 result since May. "Tomorrow, I think with the weather, I've just got to be patient and try to get it done."
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Miyazato had three birdies and a pair of bogeys en route to a 71 - the first time all week she has failed to break 70. She said the wind won't be much of an issue for her on Sunday.
"I grew up in an area that was windy so I actually like playing in windy conditions, but if it rains it will definitely be difficult," she said. "But because I'm used to those situations I don't think there will be any problem keeping my tempo."
"Either way, we need to finish the tournament so I'll just try to play my style of golf no matter what happens."
After making just one bogey over her first 36 holes, Angela Stanford made three over an eight hole span for a 71 to leave her one shot behind the leaders, tied with Brittany Lincicome at 11-under par.
Five other golfers, including 2006 champion Cristie Kerr, are sitting at 10-under par.
Lurking just four strokes off the pace is Canadian Maude-Aimee LeBlanc, who gave the home crowd something to cheer about, carding a third round 67 to leave her at 8-under par.
With a gallery of about 200 following her, the Sherbrooke, Que., golfer picked up three birdies over her first seven holes to begin her charge up the leaderboard. Two more birdies on the back nine, including a 30-footer on No. 18, put her within striking distance of the leaders.
"It was a lot less pressure than yesterday, for sure," said the former Purdue standout who missed the cut in two previous Canadian Opens as an amateur. "I think that helped a lot, to be calm out there."
LeBlanc hit just five of 14 fairways on Saturday - including just one on the back nine - but she needed just 27 putts - three less than Friday's round and five fewer than her opening round.
"I struggled a little bit with my drives today but made some good par saves," she said. "No bogeys, so I can't really complain."
LeBlanc has not recorded a bogey since the fourth hole of her opening round Thursday, the par-4 13th, a streak that has now stretched 50 holes.
With heavy rain expected for the final round on Sunday organizers decided to move up the start times. Players will tee off, in threesomes, starting at 7:00 am ET from the first and 10th tees. The final group is expected to tee off at approximately 9:10 am ET with play expected to conclude around 2:00 pm ET.
Tournament director Sean Van Kesteren said the LPGA's weather experts and media reports say the heaviest rain will reach the area in the late afternoon.
Once the heavy rain starts, Van Kesteren said 50 to 100 millimetres is expected, which would leave the course unplayable even if final round was moved to Monday.
If organizers can't complete the round, the 54-hole leader will be declared the winner. If two or more players are tied, organizers will seek out the driest hole and hold a playoff there sometime on Sunday.
Jessica Shepley of Oakville, Ont., shot 70 and Montreal's Lisa Meldrum recorded a 73 to sit at 3-under par while Lorie Kane struggled with her putting to post a round of 74. That leaves her at even par for the tournament.
Jisoo Keel, a 16-year-old amateur from Coquitlam, B.C., carded a 75 to leave her at 3-over par.
Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C., struggled to an 81 to fall to 4-over for the tournament. After Thursday's opening round, she was just one stroke off the lead. On Sunday, she will start the final round in last place among those that made the cut.
Files from The Canadian Press were used in this report