Jin Young Ko shot a 4-under par 68 on Saturday at Mission Hills’ Dinah Shore Course and will take a one-shot lead into Sunday’s finale of the ANA Inspiration.
The 23-year old Korean was flawless for much of her round, adding birdies on six of the first 10 holes, but an errant tee shot on the par-3 14th found water, leading to a double bogey. A bogey-5 followed on the par-4 15th which brought her back to the pack, however, she settled down and recouped one of the lost shots with a birdie on No. 17 to reach 8-under par, one clear of overnight leader I.K. Kim.
“I’m fine. I’m not worried. I’m human,” said Ko, when asked about the two-hole stretch of 3-over par. “Sometimes (things) happen on the course. And mostly this course is really hard, so everybody can miss a shot or (miss) putting. Doesn’t matter about, thinking about that. Doesn’t matter.”
Ko will tee off Sunday (1:45 pm local time) with her countrywoman Kim, who posted a day-three 73 and was solo second on 7-under par.
Mi Hyang Lee (68) moved up the leaderboard with a hole-in-one on the par-3 17th hole – her third career ace in the competition. She sits T3 with Danielle Kang (70) at 5-under par.
Rounding out the top-five on the 54-hole leaderboard were Alena Sharp (67), Jeon Lee6 (71), and Katherine Kirk (74).
TOP-5 LEADERS
Pos-Player-To Par (Rd 3)
1. Jin Young Ko -8 (-4)
2. I.K. Kim -7 (+1)
3. Mi Hyang Lee -5 (-4)
3. Danielle Kang -5 (-2)
5. Alena Sharp -3 (-5)
5. Jeon Lee6 -3 (-1)
5. Katherine Kirk -3 (+2)
ROUND-4 PAIRINGS
1:05 pm: Stacy Lewis (-2), Xiyu Lin (-2)
1:15 pm: Katherine Kirk (-3), Angel Yin (-2)
1:25 pm: Alena Sharp (-3), Jeon Lee6 (-3)
1:35 pm: Mi Hyang Lee (-5), Danielle Kang (-5)
1:45 pm: Jin Young Ko (-8), I.K. Kim (-7)
TV: Golf Channel, 5-9 pm (EST)
