Following in her father’s golfing footsteps

Korda leads the Women’s Australian Open after the third round [GALLO/GETTY]

American teenager Jessica Korda moved into position for a father-daughter Australian double shooting an even-par 73 in windy conditions on Saturday to take the Women’s Australian Open lead at Royal Melbourne.

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

“My Dad was world No. 2. I told him I want to beat that” American teenager Jessica Korda

She opened with rounds of 72 and 70.

“It would mean a lot,” Korda said about following her father with a Melbourne victory.

“My Dad was world No. 2. I told him I want to beat that. It would be a great accomplishment, an awesome thing.”

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.

“Normally my play style is very aggressive, but this course, it’s definitely not,” Ryu said.

“Always my plan is just par.”

‘Learning curve’

Last year as a rookie, Korda made eight cuts in 15 LPGA Tour starts.

“It was a learning curve,” Korda said.

“I was finishing up high school, so it was more of a juggling act than anything. I was not grown up enough. I had to realise a lot of things. It was tough. It was not an easy conversation to have with myself and with my team. I had to grow up a lot last year.”

Korda said she was unfazed by leading the tournament.

So Yeon Ryu of Korea is hot on the heels of the American leader [GALLO/GETTY]

“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.

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.

“I think today the weather, there was a strong breeze, so I think my body is getting too tight,” Ryu said.

“I think maybe tomorrow I want to relax my body a little more and I need a little more practice putting. I think tomorrow is the same conditions, so I’m really looking forward to tomorrow.”

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

“Every player would want to win her national championship in any sport,” said Campbell, a regular on the Japan LPGA.

“Being in a position where I have a chance is more than I could have asked for.”

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.

A day after shooting a tournament-best 66, Seo had three birdies, three bogeys and double bogey in her 75.

“It’s one of the hardest courses I have ever played,” said Seo, a playoff loser to Ryu last year in the U.S. Women’s Open.

“It’s probably in the top five or the top three and sometimes the breeze is quite crazy. Also the greens are firm and fast, plus the undulations. Most of the players struggled at times, but that’s golf.”