Jin Young Ko, who has won 12 times in her pro career, is position to claim her first title in the United States.
The 22-year-old Ko (pictured), a rookie on the PGA Tour, carded a 5-under-par 66 to tie Moriya Jutanugarn of Thailand for the lead heading to the final round of the inaugural HUGEL-JTBC LA Open at Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles.
“I’m ready for win or top 10, so maybe tomorrow I will really focus on shot by shot,” said Ko, who adds an exclamation point to her golf bag for each of her wins on the Korean LPGA Tour. “I won 11 times in Korea, so if I win tomorrow, maybe I change to 12.
“I won 11 times, so if I win tomorrow, maybe I change to 12. I need more, I need every time motivation, so one by one, one, one.”
Ko has two victories in events sanctioned by the LPGA Tour, the 2017 LPGA KEB-Hana Bank Championship in South Korea and the ISPS Handa Australian Women’s Open earlier this year.
Second-round leader Jutanugarn, 23, who is seeking her first LPGA victory anywhere, holed out for an eagle from 95 yards on the 14th hole en route to a 70 and is tied with Ko at 9-under 204.
“Today was kind of a pretty rough day for me with not a very good start, and like trying to come back,” said Jutanugarn, who made a double-bogey 6 on the first hole, but sank along birdie putt on the last. “I just try to play my game and being patient out there I think is the key.”
Third-ranked Inbee Park of South Korea had four birdies on the last 10 holes in a 69 that put her two strokes back in third, while Marina Alex made three birdies down the stretch to salvage a 72 and is three behind in a tie for fourth with Eun-Hee Ji of South Korea, who stumbled with bogeys on the last two holes in a 70.
Minjee Lee of Australia eagled the 16th hole in a bogey-free 66 and is another shot down in a tie for sixth with Caroline Inglis, who totaled 69 with an eagle on the 17th hole, while fifth-ranked So Yeon Ryu of South Korea of South Korea is five behind in solo eighth after a 73.
Pernilla Lindberg of Sweden, who won the ANA Inspiration two weeks ago, collected six birdies in a 66 and is six back in a tie for ninth with Bronte Law of UCLA and England, who shot 68, and Aditi Ashok of India, who came in at 69.
Top-ranked Shanshan Feng of China is tied for 12th after a 70, second-ranked Lexi Thompson struggled to a 74 and is tied for 23rd, sixth-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn totaled 72 and is tied for 27th, and eighth-ranked Cristie Kerr is tied for 53rd after a 71.
For complete results, visit http://www.lpga.com/leaderboard.
