Australian duo Stephanie Kyriacou (-3) and Minjee Lee (-2) put themselves in with an opportunity of a surprising third straight main for the nation, sitting six and 7 pictures again from chief Miyu Yamashita (-9) heading into the ultimate spherical of the AIG Ladies’s Open at Royal Porthcawl in Wales.
Enjoying alongside countrywoman and Evian Championship winner Grace Kim (+4), Lee fired one of the best third spherical among the many Australians with a four-under par 68 to maneuver right into a share of 18th.
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The three-time main champion dropped only one shot for the day and made 5 birdies to present herself an opportunity to duplicate her personal slice of historical past.
When Lee gained her first main crown on the Evian Championship 4 years in the past, she was a file equalling seven pictures off the lead firstly of the ultimate spherical earlier than climbing her approach into an in the end profitable playoff.
Lee admits recreating such heroics is unlikely, however not fully off the desk.
“I believe tomorrow goes to be go as little as I can. I’m most likely too far again,” Lee stated.
She added: “I had a pleasant day. I felt like I moved on shifting day.
“Had a whole lot of actually nice seems on the market. I really feel just like the quick ones, I’m over studying them just a little bit.
“It’s sort of powerful, since you suppose the floor shouldn’t be going to interrupt however typically it actually does break. It’s simply the best way hyperlinks golf is.”
Minjee Lee nearly hit by stray ball! | 00:22
Lee additionally suffered a mighty scare on the seventeenth tee when a wayward tee shot from fellow LPGA star Charley Hull nearly hit her.
“I’m glad it bounced huge as a result of it flew straight over me,” Lee recalled.
“Some girl or man known as out fore left, so I used to be like, oh, it’s not coming this fashion, but it surely got here proper over me. It was attempting to take me out!”
Kyriacou is one shot higher general than Lee in a tie for eleventh after he three-under par third spherical 69.
The 24-year-old from Sydney’s day was far much less eventful than her second spherical that included a slam dunk hole-in-one on the par three eighth, and a hole-out for eagle from a bunker on the par 5 final.
However Kyriacou was way more constant this outing, reaching the flip in 33 and solely dropping one shot for the day, in comparison with a again 9 streak of 4 straight bogey throughout the day prior to this’s spherical of 70.
“Sure, positively not as thrilling. I imply, it’s not a nasty factor. Much less bogeys on the cardboard, which was a purpose right now,” she stated.
“Yeah, haven’t actually checked the leaderboard but. I assume I moved up on this wind. Yeah, have one other go tomorrow.”
Kyriacou has a powerful file on the British hyperlinks, coming tied seventh at this occasion in 2022 and tied thirteenth the earlier 12 months within the infancy of her skilled success.
She is hopeful she will exceed these finishes this time round regardless of understanding she’s going to want one thing particular.
“Yeah, I’m fairly certain I’ve to chase, foot on the fuel,” Kyriacou stated.
“Yeah, I believe the identical objectives because the final couple days.
“I believe I stated this yesterday, however you simply should be courageous and play with the weather on the market.
“I did an excellent job of that right now. Yeah, simply do this once more tomorrow.”
Japan’s Yamashita faces a check of her temperament as she bids to win a primary main title after her lead was lowered to at least one shot.
Yamashita, who was celebrating her twenty fourth birthday, was three pictures forward going into the third spherical, nut having posted a bogey-free 65 on Friday, she carded a two-over par 74 following erratic driving off the tee and struggles on the greens.
“At present I’ll be simply what went incorrect and what went proper and analysing the day and make the enhancements that hopefully will result in a greater spherical tomorrow,” stated Yamashita, whose finest end at a significant got here when she tied for second place finally 12 months’s Ladies’s PGA Championship.
“The winds are actually sturdy in order that’s one thing the place membership choice turns into fairly troublesome,” she added.
South Korea’s Kim A-lim posted a five-under 67 on Saturday to maneuver to inside a shot of Yamashita in second place.
Kim is bidding for her second main after successful the US Ladies’s Open in 2020 in Houston, when no spectators had been current through the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Actually I’m not targeted on the chief,” insisted Kim. “I deal with my course of and my shot after which my place.”
Andrea Lee of america additionally shot a 67 and sits third. In the meantime Japan’s Minami Katsu sank seven birdies and an eagle for an excellent 65 to climb right into a share of fourth place.
Katsu was joined on six beneath by England’s Charley Hull, who began the day on even par, 11 pictures off the lead, earlier than elevating hopes of a British winner with seven birdies.
“I simply sort of get pleasure from chasing,” stated Hull, nonetheless with no main title after a number of runners-up finishes, together with on the 2023 Ladies’s British Open. “It’s extra enjoyable that approach.” World primary Nelly Korda is about to finish the key championship season with no title after taking pictures 74 on Saturday and falling 9 pictures behind.
Tied thirty sixth in a gaggle additionally together with New Zealand’s defending champion Lydia Ko, the American has now gone 13 match with no win and will lose her primary rating to Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul relying on the end result of Sunday’s ultimate spherical.