A double bogey on the 17th hole (par 3) during "moving day" proved costly for Yu Hae-ran, who had been holding the sole lead. Still, she enters the final round in a tie for third place, just one stroke back.
At the third LPGA Tour event of the season, the HSBC Women's World Championship held at Sentosa Golf Club's Tanjong Course (par 72) in Singapore on the 28th, Yu carded a 2-under-par 70 with six birdies, two bogeys, and one double bogey.
Having shot 4-under-par 68 in both the first and second rounds, Yu recorded under-par scores all three days and sits tied for third at 10-under-par 206, alongside Angel Yin of the United States. She trails co-leaders Minjee Lee and Hannah Green of Australia by just one stroke at 11-under-par 205.
Yu started with a birdie on the third hole (par 4), recovered from a bogey on the seventh (par 3) with a birdie on the eighth (par 5), and offset another bogey on the 10th (par 4) with a birdie on the 11th (par 4) to stay under par. Her birdie run ignited starting from the 13th hole (par 5), continuing through the 14th (par 4) and 15th (par 3) for three consecutive birdies. Unfortunately, after taking the sole lead, Yu surrendered two strokes on the 17th hole and dropped from the top spot.
Another Korean player also posted under-par rounds all three days: rookie Hwang Yu-min.
Following rounds of 69 and 71, Hwang shot another 1-under-par 71 to continue her under-par streak. Sitting alone in 15th place at 5-under-par 211, she is pursuing her second top-10 finish of the season after tying for fifth at the season opener. Hwang's under-par round came dramatically. After a birdie on the third hole (par 4), she parred seven consecutive holes through the 10th. Back-to-back bogeys on the 11th and 12th holes (both par 4) pushed her over par, but consecutive birdies on the 13th (par 5) and 14th (par 4) brought her back under.
Choi Hye-jin, Kim Sei-young, and Kim Hyo-joo, who had climbed into the upper ranks with consecutive under-par rounds in the first two days, all stumbled with over-par scores and dropped in the standings.
Choi, who shot 71 and 69 in the first two rounds, managed only a 2-over-par 74. Kim Sei-young and Kim Hyo-joo, who had shot 71-68 and 71-68 respectively, both posted 3-over-par 75. All three are now tied for 31st at 2-under-par 214.
Second-year player Yun I-na, who had shot 73 and 72 in the opening rounds, recorded her first under-par round of the tournament. With three birdies and two bogeys for a 1-under-par 71, Yun climbed three spots to a tie for 45th at even-par 216 and aims to move up further on the final day.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand, who started sluggishly with a 1-over-par 73 on day one, improved by two strokes in each of the following rounds to climb to a tie for 20th at 3-under-par 213, keeping her streak of nine consecutive top-10 finishes alive.