South Korean Kim Hyo-joo finds herself three strokes off the lead going into the final round of the U.S. 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 (local time). 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 U.S. 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.
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.
Through 54 holes, only six players have shot an under-par score at Pebble, which played at 6,326 yards on Saturday.
Source: Yonhap News Agency