Schmelzel & Valenzuela Lead Dow After 68
- - Sarah Schmelzel and Albane Valenzuela carded a 2-under 68 in Saturday's alternate-shot round, seizing the lead at the Dow Championship. Their 13-under 197 total at Midland Country...
- Schmelzel and Valenzuela began the tournament with a 68 in alternate shot on Thursday, followed by a 61 in the best-ball format on Friday.
- "You're kind of on pins and needles moast of the day, just hoping you don't get your partner in trouble," Schmelzel said.
Sarah Schmelzel and Albane Valenzuela are in the lead at the Dow Championship after an impressive 68 in the alternate-shot round,positioning themselves for their first LPGA Tour win. the dynamic duo is currently at 13-under par at Midland Country Club, setting the stage for a compelling final round.close behind are Jin Hee Im and Somi Lee, along wiht manon De Roey and Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, creating intense competition for the primary_keyword title. Defending champions Ruoning Yin and Jeeno Thitikul are also making their presence known, adding another layer of intrigue to the tournament. This year’s Dow Championship has become a must-know event for fans everywhere.News Directory 3 delivers the latest updates. Tune in for the exciting conclusion, as every swing can change the leaderboard. Discover what’s next …
Schmelzel, Valenzuela Lead Dow Championship, Eye First LPGA Tour Win
Updated June 28, 2025
MIDLAND, Mich. – Sarah Schmelzel and Albane Valenzuela carded a 2-under 68 in Saturday’s alternate-shot round, seizing the lead at the Dow Championship. Their 13-under 197 total at Midland Country Club puts them in contention for their first LPGA Tour victories.
Schmelzel and Valenzuela began the tournament with a 68 in alternate shot on Thursday, followed by a 61 in the best-ball format on Friday.
“You’re kind of on pins and needles moast of the day, just hoping you don’t get your partner in trouble,” Schmelzel said. “Just super solid. I feel like we had really good attitudes throughout the entire day. I think both of us took every single shot as it came.”
Jin Hee Im and Somi Lee, along with Manon De Roey and Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, are one stroke behind the leaders. Im-Lee shot a 68,while De Roey-Roussin-Bouchard posted a 69.
“I’m very proud of us,” De Roey said.”We hung in there. We fought until the end.”
Jennifer Kupcho and Leona Maguire, who led after the second round with a 60, finished with a 72.They are now tied for fourth at 11-under with Lauren Hartlage-Brooke Matthews (66) and Sung hyun Park-Ina Yoon (67). Kupcho previously won the event in 2022 with Lizette Salas.
“Just try and go low and try and post a number early and see what happens,” Maguire said. “I think it was nice to see two putts go in at the end.”
Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang (68), along with Rio Takeda and Miyu Yamashita (67), are at 10-under.
Defending champions Ruoning Yin and Jeeno Thitikul, both ranked among the top five women golfers in the world, are at 9-under after shooting a 67.
Schmelzel and Valenzuela closed their round with seven consecutive pars, accumulating four birdies and two bogeys overall.
“I feel like we had a really good day,” Valenzuela said. “Our goal in foursomes was just to get a couple under or maybe a little bit better. We had a few mistakes, and that’s going to happen in this format. We also did a lot of really good stuff.”
What’s next
The final round of the Dow Championship will be played sunday, with Schmelzel and Valenzuela looking to maintain their lead and secure their first LPGA Tour victory.Several teams remain in contention, promising an exciting finish.