Make the par-5s playful

If it’s not too late to make some adjustments for today’s setup on the par-5s, 54-hole leader Suzann Pettersen wants to drop a couple of ideas into the suggestion box.

"I really hope that they will set up the course in a fun way tomorrow, make the par 5s reachable," Pettersen said. "I love seeing us reaching the par 5s and tuck the pins. It makes it exciting; it could be for the good and for the bad. But let us have some risk, reward. I just think today’s pin location at 13, it sets up fantastic if you can actually get there in two. You’d probably see some tap-in eagles, you can see some narrowly getting up to the top and then coming back down."

The first three rounds, the back-to-back par 5s have been more like par 3s.

"I find it personally boring when you hit driver, 3 wood, wedge, driver, 3 wood, wedge on back-to-back par 5s," Pettersen said. "When you know the wind is where it is. I hope they’ll make it a little bit more playful tomorrow, just mix it up, and yeah, just let us go low."

Se Ri Pak still rules

Six of the golfers in the top 12 places (and ties) after the third round of the LPGA Lotte Championship have the Korean flag next to their names, including Hee Kyung Seo, who is second at 13 under, trailing leader Suzann Pettersen by one stroke.

The player who inspired many of the others to take up the game is among them.

Hall of Famer Se Ri Pak, who was the only Korean on the LPGA Tour when she won two majors as a rookie in 1998, finished Friday tied for 12th at 6 under with countrywomen Hee Young Park and I.K. Kim.

Pak had three birdies and two bogeys on her way to 1-under 71 on Friday after a 3-under 69 on Thursday.

Pak has 25 career LPGA wins, the last coming in 2010. She was limited to 12 events last year due to a shoulder injury.

Setting aside belly putter

Lizette Salas made one of those tough decisions, but still feels very good about her choice to shelve the belly putter for the more traditional model. She went from long to short on Tuesday and feels comfortable with the decision after shooting a 5-under 67 to move into a tie for fifth at this week’s LPGA Lotte Championship.

"I felt good about it," Salas said after her round. "That’s what was really working for me. I was making putts."

Some questioned her decision, but Salas is sticking by it.

"Everyone was telling me you’re putting really good with the belly," Salas said. "And I said, yeah, but I think it needs a break. I was very restricted. I need to be more free. It’s the same stroke, just not anchored. It’s been working great."

Inside the numbers

With the winds down and more moisture in the air, the scores were nearly two shots lower on average for the 77 women who played on to the weekend.

Friday’s scoring average was 71.987; not as good as Wednesday’s opening round in benign conditions of 71.487, but much better than Thursday’s scary-high of 74.062.

There were 16 rounds in the 60s after only five on Thursday. Hee Kyung Seo moved into second place on the strength of her third-round best 66. It was equaled by Jessica Korda, who moved up from 28th to eighth earlier in the day.

The hardest hole was the par-4 18th with a scoring average of 4.299. There were only three birdies — one by Michelle Wie from 5 feet — 52 pars, 18 bogeys and four double bogeys.

The easiest hole was the par-5 fifth with a scoring average of 4.584. There were three eagles — including a chip-in by Seo — 33 birdies, 36 pars, four bogeys and one snowman by Irene Cho.