GARDEN CITY, KANSAS, September 16, 2016 - Christine Song (Fullerton, Calif.) couldn’t miss with the flatstick and posted a 6-under, 66 on Saturday at the Garden City Charity Classic presented by Mariah Fund to take the 36-hole lead at 10-under, 134. Song will go for her fifth career Epson Tour win on Sunday. Jessica Wallace (Langley, British Columbia) is one shot back at 8-under, 135 and money leader Madelene Sagstrom (Enkoping, Sweden) is in third at 7-under, 136.
Song, 25, made back-to-back birdies twice on her outward nine to turn in 32. Her lone bogey of the day came on one and then she finished with a flurry of birdies. Song closed with birdies on three of her final four holes including a 6-footer for birdie on nine.
“Whenever I was in trouble, the putter kind of saved me today,” said Song, who attempted just 24 putts. “I made a 20-footer on 15, which was my longest of the day.”
Song has attempted just 52 putts through two rounds.
“I’ve been making everything that I’ve putted basically,” said Song. “Inside 10 feet, I feel so confident. I’m seeing the lines and the speed has been on point.”
Song has finished inside the top 10 on the Volvik Race for the Card money list three times: 2009 (8th), 2010 (3rd) and 2013 (4th). Song has made 61 career starts on the LPGA including 16 this season. Her best finish this year is a T47 at the ISPS Handa Australian Open.
“I’m very pleased with how I’m playing because I haven’t had a very good year,” said Song. “I really just want to build confidence heading into Q-School (Final Stage).”
Saturday’s final-round begins at 8:00 a.m. and the lead group of Song and Wallace will tee at 12:50 p.m.
WALLACE COMFORTABLE AT BUFFALO DUNES: Jessica Wallace continued her stellar play on Saturday with a 4-under, 68. Wallace has made 10 birdies and just two bogeys through two rounds.
“I’ve played all the conditions over the years here and I’ve had some good finish,” said Wallace, who finished second in 2014. “I think the Tour did a really good job of setting up the course today based on the wind.”
Wallace made a putt from the back fringe on the first hole from 25-feet to get her day started. Her lone
bogey of the day was on the final hole.
“I’m rolling it well and my short game has been solid,” said Wallace. “It is taking a lot of pressure off my long game with this wind, which helps.”
Wallace, who ranks 21st on the Volvik Race for the Card money list, is excited for another shot to pick up her first career win.
“This is all you can really hope for, to be in the mix heading into the final-round,” said Wallace. “Even with the bogey on the last, I’m still happy to be here.”
Wallace played her college golf in Colorado at the University of Colorado.
SAGSTROM IN HUNT FOR THIRD WIN: Madelene Sagstrom has had arguably the best year in the history of the Epson Tour with two wins and nine top 10 finishes in just 12 starts. Sagstrom posted a 3-under, 69 to put herself in contention for another victory.
“I was able to reach the green in two on one and had a nice little two-putt for birdie and that set the pace,” said Sagstrom, who has also made the cut in two LPGA events this year. “I started to feel comfortable with the way I was hitting it and I wasn’t really worried about the wind. I was really happy with how I played.”
Sagstrom has already set the record for money earned in a single-season ($138,617). Sagstrom, who is not results oriented, simply wants to finish the year playing well.
“I just want to end the year playing really solid golf,” said Sagstrom. “I’d love to play well at the Epson Tour Championship and end on a good note.”
Although from the outside, it may appear like the season was a breeze for the former LSU star, Sagstrom choose the term “roller-coaster” when asked to describe the season.
“It has been so much more than I ever expected,” said Sagstrom. “There is this high when you get to the top and then you’re like ‘what am I going to do from here’ and you free-fall. It is so much to take in and so much to learn. It’s my first year as a pro and I’m travelling all over the country and it is just a lot to take in. However, like a roller-coaster, I’ve enjoyed every minute.”
OF NOTE
• First-round leader Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong carded an even-par, 72 and is four shots back.
• Players 11 (Santiwiwatthanaphong), 12 (Nelly Korda) and 13 (Sophia Popov) on the money list are in the top seven heading into the final-round.
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