Kim Hyo-joo tees off during the first round of the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament in Springfield, N.J on June 22 (AP-Yonhap)
South Korean Kim Hyo-joo finds herself three strokes off the lead going into the final round of the US Women's Open.
Kim carded a one-over 73 in the third round of the second LPGA major tournament of the season at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California, on Saturday. Kim dropped to four-under 212 for the competition, tied for third place with Bailey Tardy of the United States and three behind the leader, Nasa Hataoka of Japan.
Hataoka went for a bogey-free round of 66, the best score by any player on the famed course this week.
Allisen Corpuz of the US is alone in second place at six-under after carding a 71 in the third round.
Kim, who recorded two birdies against three bogeys, is trying to win her second career major title, following her breakthrough at the Evian Championship in 2014.
"I made some mistakes," Kim said of her round. "I think I just learned to be more patient. I think today was the windiest day of all, so it was quite difficult."
As for how she will approach the final round, Kim said, "I need to be able to make up for mistakes tomorrow, so making sure that I don't make any mistakes tomorrow. It's a major course, so every shot is important, so I have to focus tomorrow."
Two other South Koreans are on the first page of the leaderboard. Former world No. 1 Shin Ji-yai, who is currently based in Japan, shot a 70 to move to two-under 2014. That tied her for fifth place with countrywoman Ryu Hae-ran, an LPGA rookie this season who shot a 73.
Shin eagled the second hole, but gave back a shot with a bogey on the third. She had two more birdies and one more bogey the rest of the way.
Ryu had three birdies, two bogeys and one double bogey for her second straight round in the 70s, following an opening 69.
"I am just happy to finish under par today," Shin said. "I had a great rhythm with my swing, but my putting wasn't working today. I missed a few chances."
Shin said she has been enjoying playing in the US for the first time since 2019 and called Pebble Beach "one of my dream golf courses."
"A little sad we have only one more day, so I'll try to do my best," Shin said. "If I play a bogey-free round tomorrow, I'll have a little bit of chance."
Through 54 holes, only six players have shot an under-par score at Pebble, which played at 6,326 yards on Saturday. (Yonhap)
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