NEWS

Ko could join elite company with victory

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Ko could join elite company with victory

If Lydia Ko can hold her lead in the 2016 KPMG Women's PGA Championship and emerge victorious this afternoon, she’d join Inbee Park (2013), Pat Bradley (1985-86), Mickey Wright (1961-62), and Babe Zaharias (1950) as the only women to win three straight majors. Last September, Ko won the final major on the 2015 LPGA schedule, the Evian Championship, before claiming the ANA Inspiration in April.

Ko fired a third-round, 1-under 70 on Saturday and leads at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Washington. Fifteen players entered the final round within four shots of Ko, including major champions Brittany Lincicome (T-2, -1); Anna Nordqvist (T-4, Even); Suzann Pettersen (T-10, +1); Catriona Matthew (T-10, +1) and So Yeon Ryu (T-15, +2).

RELATED: Live Leaderboard | Images from Saturday at Sahalee

Ko’s pursuit of history runs deeper than the prospect of capturing three consecutive major championships. With a victory, Ko would secure her third major championship and leave herself just a win shy of achieving the LPGA’s Career Grand Slam (she would need to win either the U.S. Women’s Open or the RICOH Women’s British Open to achieve the feat).

"I don't really think about it [the records] when I'm out there playing, said Ko. "I'm just trying to play my best and trying to hit that shot in front of me.

"But, it's really cool to obviously have my name in those records amongst those amazing players. And I think that's the really cool thing about it."

A Ko victory would also make her the youngest champion in the 62-year history of this Championship. In 2008, Yani Tseng won at the age of 19 years, 4 months and 16 days (she is the only teenager to win this Championship). Ko is 19 years, one month and 19 days old. Eighteen year-old Brooke Henderson, who led on Thursday and was tied for the lead Friday, is also in contention.

You can follow along with Bermingham and the rest of the action from the KPMG Women's PGA Championship here.