Jiyai Shin leads Lilia Vu heading into the final day at St Andrews, with world No 1 Nelly Korda in third as she chases a second major of the year; England's Charley Hull and Lottie Woad five behind; Watch the final round live on Sunday from midday on Sky Sports Golf
Saturday 24 August 2024 20:08, UK
Jiyai Shin capitalised on a back-nine slump from world No 1 Nelly Korda to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews.
Shin - a former champion in 2008 and 2012 - came into the weekend six strokes back but charged up the leaderboard with a brilliant third-round 67 around the Old Course, mixing seven birdies with two bogeys to move to seven under.
The Korean's closest challenge comes from defending champion Lilia Vu, who birdied three of her last five holes to post a one-under 71, while halfway leader Korda fell two behind after dropping five shots in a six-hole stretch in the back-nine of a three-over 75.
Charley Hull briefly held a share of the lead but is now five back after matching Korda's 75, with compatriot Lottie Woad also in a share of tenth after a final-hole eagle saw the amateur move back to two under.
Korda three-putted from long range at the first and failed to get up and down from off the second green, resulting in successive bogeys, with her overnight lead disappearing when Hull rolled in a birdie at the par-four third.
The American responded by also birdieing the third to edge ahead, which became three strokes when Hull found two bunkers at the par-five seventh on her way to a double-bogey fifth.
Shin - playing six groups in front of Korda - made a birdie-birdie start and cancelled out a bogey at the third by make three consecutive birdies from the seventh, seeing her reach the turn in 32 and within one of Korda.
Vu holed from 20 feet to match the two-putt birdie of Korda and converted a 25-foot birdie at the par-three eighth to move into tied-second alongside Shin, who picked up a shot at the par-four 12th go five under for his round.
Korda birdied the short ninth hole to close a front-nine 35 and restore a two-shot cushion, while Vu had to pitch out from a fairway bunker to begin a run of four dropped shots in a five-hole stretch.
The advantage returned to three when Shin bogeyed the par-five 14th but was cut to one after Korda followed a bogey at the 12th with another three-putt at the next, with Shen pulling level after a sensational approach into the par-four 17th set up a close-range birdie.
Shin missed out on adding another birdie at the last but moved ahead when Korda fired her tee shot at the par-four 16th out of bounds, see her fall to five under and two behind, with Vu carding her second birdie in three holes to join her playing partner tied-second.
Korda fell further behind when she failed to get up and down from the back of the 17th green, before matching Vu's closing birdie at the last to stay within two of the lead and in contention to claim a seventh LPGA Tour victory of the season.
Jenny Shin shares fourth spot on four under with Olympic champion Lydia Ko, while Jinhee Im, Jeeno Thitikul, Alexa Pano and Ruoning Yin all sit within four of the lead and in a share of sixth.
Esther Henseleit and Albane Valenzuela tied the lowest round of the day with six-under 66s, having made it through on the cut mark, with Woad and Hull also five back after rounds of 72 and 75 respectively.
"Obviously with the double on 16 and bogey on 17, you want to finish on a good note," Korda said. "I was happy to see that one [on 18] roll in. Hopefully I can take that momentum into tomorrow. I think it's going to be a tough day.
"I'm going to keep a positive attitude, take it one shot at a time. I played really well the first two days, so I'm going to take that momentum into tomorrow."
Vu, who will play alongside Shin in the final group on Sunday, told Sky Sports: "I would say I'm pretty satisfied with the round. It was a little shaky, caught some bad breaks and was heading in the wrong direction, but happy to par 17th and birdie 18th and get into a pretty good position heading into tomorrow.
"The wheels were kind of falling off when I made that double, but kept my composure. The only goal I'm trying to do is beat the course and keep it simple like that."
Who will win the AIG Women's Open? Watch the final round live on Sunday from midday on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the women's majors and more sport with NOW.
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