Yoo Hae-ran (25, Daol Financial Group) climbed into the solo lead on the third day of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship (total purse of 13 million dollars), powered by sharp iron play.
In the tournament's third round, played Saturday at Hazeltine National Golf Club (par 72) in Chaska, Minnesota, Yoo shot a 4-under-par 68 with one eagle, three birdies and one bogey. The three-time LPGA Tour winner finished at 11-under-par 205 to top the leaderboard, creating an opportunity to compete for her first career major title.
She holds a one-stroke lead over second-place Brooke Henderson (Canada, 10-under-par). Yoon Yi-na (23), who had led through the second round, sits in third (9-under-par).
Yoo, who started in a tie for second, five strokes off the lead, exploded by trimming five strokes on the front nine alone. After picking up a birdie from the 1st hole (par 4), she shaved another stroke at the 5th hole (par 4) to pressure Yoon. The 7th hole (par 5) was the highlight. After a 293-yard drive, Yoo reached the green in two with a 5-iron from 190 yards out, then sank an eagle putt of about 10 meters that broke sharply to the left, vaulting into the solo lead. She added a birdie at the 9th hole (par 4) and recorded her only bogey of the day at the 10th hole (par 4). Though she could not shave any more strokes over the remaining eight holes, she held onto the lead.
Yoon shot a 3-over-par 75, failing to protect her five-stroke lead and slipping to third, two strokes back. While losing three strokes through the 6th hole was disappointing, she remains in good position to mount a comeback. Kim A-rim was tied for fourth at 8-under-par, while rookie Lee Dong-eun was tied for eighth at 6-under-par.
World No. 1 Nelly Korda (USA), seeking a third consecutive major title this season, trimmed one stroke to sit tied for sixth at 7-under-par heading into the final round.
