Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – World number one Nelly Korda birdied the last three holes in a four-under par 67 on Saturday to share the US Women’s Open lead with Kim Sei-young going into the final round. Korda, who was seven shots off the pace after a two-over opening round on Thursday, notched her second straight 67 for a six-under total of 207, putting herself in position to strike for a second straight major title this year after her triumph at the Chevron Championship in April. She was joined on six-under by South Korean Kim, who carded a three-under 68 at Riviera Country Club, the iconic Pacific Palisades course that will host the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics golf competition.
“It’s always amazing to be in this position,” Korda said of the chance to challenge for a third career major title. The American kick-started her round with a chip-in birdie at the third hole and rolled in an 18-footer at the sixth. She gave a shot back with a bogey at the eighth, but powered home with birdies at 16, 17 and 18. “Just had a comfortable eight-iron on 16,” she said of the shot that left her “solid, straightforward” five and a half-foot birdie putt. At 17, she bombed her drive but missed the green, chipping to two feet to pick up another shot. “And then 18 I smoked my drive and just had a nine-iron in,” Korda said. “Pretty comfortable, nice little birdie finish. I’m really happy with how I grinded out the front nine and then took the opportunities that I had on the last three holes.”
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Korda has said her runner-up finish in last year’s US Open fueled her hunger to win her national championship, but she said she can’t let that desire get the better of her on Sunday. “I think last year I really, really wanted it, and the more you want it sometimes the more you stiffen up and you get a little bit more nervous,” she said. “I play my best golf when I’m happy, free Nelly …so that’s kind of the attitude that I’m going to have tomorrow.”
– Under pressure – Kim, whose 13 LPGA titles include a major at the 2020 Women’s PGA Championship, was alone in first on six-under after birdies at the 10th and 12th, draining a seven-footer at 10 and a five-footer at 12. But she missed the green at the par-four 15th and her chip left her 12 feet. She two-putted to drop a shot but birdied the 17th. “I played better than yesterday, for sure,” Kim said. “It has been a long time since I won a major championship, so maybe I’ll play under pressure tomorrow but I’ll try to just do what I have to do to focus on the course.”
The leading duo were one stroke clear of South Korean Chun In-gee and American Jennifer Kupcho, who both shot 69. Chun, who won the first of her three major titles at the 2015 US Women’s Open, launched her round with an eagle at the first. She was tied for the lead after a chip-in birdie at 11 followed by a 21-foot birdie at the 12th, but gave a stroke back at 16. Kupcho, tied for the lead after a pair of front-nine birdies, dropped off the pace with bogeys at 12 and 13 but bounced back with birdies at 16 and 17. Overnight co-leader Yin Ruoning of China carded an even par 71 to headline a trio sharing fifth on four-under 20. She was joined by Japan’s Nasa Hataoka (68) and Mexico’s Gaby Lopez (70).
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