South Africa’s golden girl of golf Cass Alexander fired eight birdies on her way to a third round 68 Saturday at Sunrise Golf and Country Club in Chinese Taipei to put herself into contention to win her third Ladies European title of the season, writes Grant Winter.
Chinese Taipei player Ching Huang player leads through 54 holes on 14-under-par 202 following a superb 65 but the 27-year-old Alexander is just one back in second place on 203, after a fabulous 64, a 71 and now the 68. Besides the eight birdies, the Ladies European Tour (LET) Order of Merit No 1 also had four bogeys on her scorecard.
“The bogeys? It actually was a tough day out there,” she explained. “My caddie Doug (Pirie) and I said if we could be level par today, then anything else on top of that would be a bonus. At the same time, I feel I did leave a couple of shots out there, but it was tricky conditions.”
Alexander has already won twice this year, in the Irish and Italian Opens, alongside five runner-up finishes. She has unquestionably arrived on the world stage and, arguably, has been the most successful South African golfer – female or male – in 2026.
Speaking further about Saturday’s round, she said: “It’s so easy for us to be hard on ourselves. There were a couple of wedges where it was straight downwind and then I’d make a drop from there which felt frustrating, but it is part of the tricky conditions. Overall, I’m happy. I mean, eight birdies, you can’t complain! It was good and another day to go.
“I feel a lot more relaxed because I don’t have to win (as she tops the Order of Merit). Usually, it’s like you have to win, but at the same time I’m not taking my foot off the gas. I’d like to win as many golf tournaments as possible and every time you get to a tournament you want to win.
“I’m in a good position and I haven’t been in the final group as much as one would think, so it’s also nice to just gain that experience no matter the outcome tomorrow. I will definitely be going for it.”
England’s Hannah Screen is in outright third place on 12-under-par 204 after a round of 70.
Huang made her first birdie on the fifth hole and then rolled in four in a row before making her only bogey of the day on the ninth.