SEOUL, South Korea - Three foreign nationals of Korean descent, including the 2022 champion, are among the contenders for the lone LPGA Tour event in South Korea set for Sunday.
According to News Releases by Yonhap News Agency, Minjee Lee of Australia currently shares the 54-hole lead at the BMW Ladies Championship. She shot one-under 71 on Saturday to reach an 11-under overall score at Seowon Hills at Seowon Valley Country Club in Paju, northwest of Seoul.
Lydia Ko of New Zealand and Alison Lee of the United States trail Lee by a single stroke. Ko, the defending BMW champion, and Lee are both in a position to challenge for the title during the final round.
Minjee Lee, born in Perth to Korean parents, registered three birdies and two bogeys on the par-72 course. Her Saturday performance allowed Ashleigh Buhai of South Africa to join her at the top of the leaderboard. Lee aims for her 10th LPGA title and her second win of this year.
Lydia Ko, born in Seoul but a resident of New Zealand since she was four, recorded her second consecutive round of 69. She remains the only player to have shot in the 60s in all three rounds of the tournament so far. Ko, once the world's top female golfer, is in contention for her 20th LPGA win and her first of 2023.
Alison Lee, born in Los Angeles to Korean parents, carded a two-under 70, maintaining her top position for the third consecutive day. Lee, previously the world's No. 1 amateur, is pursuing her first LPGA title.
Also in the mix is Shin Ji-yai, the top South Korean through 54 holes, currently tied for seventh at nine-under. An 11-time LPGA winner, Shin last secured a tournament win in Korea in 2010.
This is the fourth edition of the BMW Ladies Championship, following its inauguration in 2019. The purse for the tournament has increased from $2 million in previous editions to $2.2 million this year, with the champion set to receive $330,000, up from the previous $300,000.