Canada’s Anna Huang continued her fine form at the 2025 La Sella Open producing a round of 69 (-3) on day three to hold a three-stroke lead heading into the final day.
The 16-year-old has held the lead since the start of the tournament and began well with a birdie on the second at La Sella Golf Resort.
Huang, who is in her rookie season on the Ladies European Tour (LET), made another birdie on the ninth before back-to-back birdies on 11 and 12.
After back-to-back bogey-free rounds, the teenager dropped her first shot of the week on her 15 – she had not made a bogey in her previous 62 holes in competition on the LET.
Huang maintained her three-shot advantage through the 54-hole mark and sits at the top of the leaderboard with a score of 17-under-par.
“It’s pretty good,” said the rookie. “Today my ball striking was still pretty good and hopefully, I can bring that momentum into tomorrow. Not many of my putts dropped today, that was a bit frustrating but hopefully I can fix that.
“It’s kind of crazy to have only one bogey. It felt so much different out there, I was really in the zone, so I didn’t even notice I didn’t have any bogeys until I made that one on 15.
“It was really fun being in the final group and it was great to play with Shannon [Tan], she was super nice. I learned about being patience, not thinking about the leaderboard and scores, and just to focus on myself.”
If she were to win on the LET on Sunday, Huang would join an elite club of players to win on Tour before their 17th birthday – the last player to do so was Germany’s Chiara Noja at the Aramco Team Series – Riyadh in 2022.
She added: “I’m going to try and keep it steady, keep it patient and focus on each shot. I think I’m more excited than nervous for tomorrow, before I was a bit more nervous to go into the final round. I’ve learned pressure is a privilege and you have got to use it to your advantage.”
France’s Nastasia Nadaud sits in second place on 14-under-par after carding a round of 69 (-3) on day two.
The 20-year-old rolled in birdies on the second, seventh and 12th before a bogey on 14, but she bounced back with a birdie on 17.
“It was a pretty good day today; I hit a lot of fairways and greens just like the other days,” said Nadaud. “There were a couple of putts that didn’t drop, but I still managed to make some. It was a pretty good score.
“I’m approaching it the same as the other days just thinking about my game plan and sticking to my process, but I’m not chasing anything. I don’t like that mindset. I’m sticking to what I know I can do well and see what happens.
“Mentally speaking, I played in the last group already this season in Belgium, so that has helped me learn to not think about the score or what the others are doing and to just stick to what I’m doing. I want to focus on myself.
“It’s very impressive what Anna has been doing the past few days. To have an eight-under, six-under and three-under today and be in the last group. It’s going to be a great challenge tomorrow for both of us.”
Ireland’s Lauren Walsh is in solo third place on the leaderboard after a bogey-free round of 66 (-6).
The 25-year-old made birdies on the first, second, fifth, ninth, 12th and 18th holes to end day three with a score of 10-under-par.
“I’m really happy with today’s work – a bogey-free six-under – I kept it pretty simple out there. I hit fairways and greens, made up-and-down when I needed to, holed some putts,” said Walsh.
“I have just simplified things and am trying to enjoy my time out here and that’s been key the past couple of weeks. That makes a big difference to your golf game, having fun out here and getting to make the most of the cool places we get to go to.
“I’m a pretty aggressive player. Tomorrow me and Robbie will be trying to create as many birdie opportunities as we can, that’s pretty much our game plan every day, so not much changes. If we can give ourselves 18 birdie putts tomorrow, we will see how many we can make. It’s pretty good intel to be going with.
“Every hole out there you have a birdie look and that’s important. I’m really happy with where my game is at. I have been driving it well, hitting it well and I had my coach here over the first couple of practice rounds, which was a big help. I’m feeling comfortable and confident and hopefully, another good day tomorrow.”
Three players are in a share of fourth place with Australia’s Maddison Hinson-Tolchard, Slovenia’s Pia Babnik and Singapore’s Shannon Tan all on nine-under-par.
Sweden’s Kajsa Arwefjäll is in outright seventh place on eight-under with Scotland’s Laura Beveridge and Italy’s Alessandra Fanali one shot further back in T8.
Seven players round out the top 10 on five-under-par including 2025 LET Order of Merit leader Mimi Rhodes.
Round three will begin at 8.30 am (local time) with the leading group teeing off at 12.41 pm (local time) at La Sella Golf Resort.
Follow the Tour on our socials at @letgolf (X and Instagram), Ladies European Tour (Facebook and YouTube), #LaSellaOpen.
