Ward has three-shot lead after three rounds at Women’s Championship

American Becca Huffer had to take a drop after hitting a shot in a garden near the ninth hole on Saturday at the Hartford HealthCare Women’s Championship in Avon. More tournament photos

What a gorgeous day for golf on Saturday. The sun was shining with a few white clouds in a blue sky and a cool breeze occasionally coming across the fairway at the Golf Club of Avon and the third round of the Epson Tour’s Hartford HealthCare Women’s Championship.

Christine Wang, a former University of Southern California golfer, shot a five-under-par 66 on Saturday to take a three-shot lead going into Sunday’s final round.

Wang leads first-round co-leader Mirabel Ting by three strokes. Ting rebounded from a rough Friday with a five-over-76 with a seven-under 64 on Saturday, tying the mark for the lowest round in the tournament.

Cynthia Lu of Taipei is third and four strokes behind Wang. Lu shot a four-under par 68 on Saturday, which was Bring Your Child to the Course day.

The Epson Tour is the developmental tour of the LPGA with the top 15 moneywinners at the end of the season earning a spot on the LPGA Tour next spring.

Wang got off to a hot start in Avon with four birdies in the first seven holes of the day. She picked up another stroke and some energy from the gallery following her with an eagle at 17.

“The tee (on 17) was moved up today, so it was reachable,” Wang said. “Originally, I was going to hit driver, but then I felt like the slightest breath of air behind me, and I was like, you know what? I am playing pretty well, said Wang. “I’ll hit three wood just to be a little safer. I didn’t think it was going to get on the green, but I guess I smoked it, because it got on the green. And then had this 35-foot putt for eagle.”

Ting had seven birdies on Saturday, including three birdies before the seventh hole.

After struggling on Friday, Mirabel Ting had a great third round on Saturday to get back into the hunt to win this tournament. More tournament photos

“I feel like I was patient enough on the golf course today, and especially with what happened yesterday,” said Ting. “I drove the ball really well today and putted really well.”

Also tied for second place is Lu, who had four birdies with a 68.

None of the top four golfers has a professional win yet. The fourth and final round on championship Sunday begins at 7 a.m.

The final four pairs will tee off beginning at 12:20 p.m. with South Africa’s Megan Streicher and American Kendall Todd teeing off at 12:20 p.m. With five birdies and no bogeys on Saturday, Streicher moved from the mid 30s into the top 10. Todd was in a five-way tie for the lead after two rounds.

Spain’s Carla Bernat-Escuder and American Megha Ganne tee off at 12:30 p.m. with Lu and Taipei’s Tzu-Yi Chang teeing off at 12:40 p.m. The final group will be Wang and Ting teeing off at 12:50 p.m.

American Samantha Vordy hits a drive during Saturday’s Women’s Championship event in Avon. More tournament photos

Bear protocol

Anyone who lives in the Avon area is well aware of bears and their cubs that move through town usually in the early morning hours and the late afternoon hours around dusk.

There was a bear on the 16th green on Friday morning, according to tournament director Patrick O’Connnell.

“We did tell our staff and we have rules officials scattered throughout. We told the staff to be mindful. We’ve told the players to be mindful. Everyone roughly knows what to do if they encounter a bear, which is stay back. If it does anything, be loud, be tall, be as big as you can. It’s obviously something we think about.”

“It’s pretty fascinating to see bears on the golf course,” said Austin Peluso, head golf pro at Golf Club of Avon. “They don’t bother us. They stay away but some of the players have never seen bears before so it’s a new experience for them.”

“Stay away from there, let them do their thing and the bears will eventually just go off into the woods,” Peluso said.

Tickets available at the gate

One-day general admission tickets are $15. Children age 18 and under are free along with Avon residents and children and family members from First Tee CT. Free parking is at Avon Middle School and a shuttle will bring you to the club and back to your vehicle.

Material from Epson Tour’s Carly Haines is included in this report.

More tournament photos

2026 Hartford HealthCare Women’s Championship
At Avon (Golf Club of Avon)
Yardage: 6,439; Par 71

Nine players at 209 or minus 2.
Of note: Lauren Gomez had the lowest score of the day on Friday with a 7-under-par 64. … The cut was players at 3-over par and lower.

2026 Hartford HealthCare Women’s Championship full results