Minjee Lee started the third round of the Blue Bay LPGA with a six shot lead, but by the end of the day her lead was gone.
Lee only managed a 1-over 73 on Saturday, and she was caught by Jessica Korda, who fired a bogey-free 66 for a share of the lead on a hot and sticky day in Hainan, China.
“It’s a good course, it suits my game,” Korda said. “I feel like I’m at home. Not only with the humidity and the heat, but the way the golf course plays. I feel like I’m playing my home course in Florida, so it’s really nice.”
Korda isn’t the only big name Lee has to worry about in the final round.
Ariya Jutanugarn fired the low round of the day – a 7-under 65 – and she is only two strokes back as she tries to win her sixth title of the season.
World No. 2 Jutanugarn is locked in a tight battle with world No. 1 Lydia Ko for player of the year honors. Ko has four wins to Jutanugarn’s five, but Ko won a major (ANA Inspiration).
Korda would be happy just to win one title this year.
She is winless since capturing the Sime Darby last year in Malaysia. Korda will defend that title next week, and she would love to head to Kuala Lumpur with her fifth LPGA trophy.
But first she will have to endure another hot and humid round with two formidable opponents.
“Two hot weeks in a row, a lot of energy is going to be wasted,” Korda said. “But I just got to stay patient.”
