S Korean Kim leads by 3 at ANA Inspiration

Catriona slips down to T19 in LPGA Major 

FROM THE LPGA WEBSITE
with a few additional words by Colin Farquharson

As her competitors faltered down the stretch coming in, Sei Young Kim brought her best golf with birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 and a par on 18 to take a three-shot lead into the final round of the ANA Inspiration at 10-under-par at Rancho Mirage, California.

Kim’s earliest golf memories are of watching this major championship from Korea when Grace Park jumped into Poppie’s Pond.

“If I were to win it tomorrow, it would be the biggest dream ever to come true for me,” Kim said through a translator. “You know, just because, I’ve watched this tournament since I was young. That’s why I feel I want it so much more, and I think the opportunity is there in front of me, and if I can, I definitely want to get my hand on it, and for sure it won’t be bad jumping into that pond tomorrow.”

Heading into the 15th hole Saturday it was actually Rolex Rankings No. 3 Stacy Lewis that had stormed into a one-shot lead at 9-under-par but Lewis bogeyed Nos. 15 and 17 and trails by three in solo second. 

Morgan Pressel also owned a share of the lead at 8-under-par at one point during the back nine but the closing stretch got the best of her, too, with bogeys on No. 16 and 17 coming in.

“Coming in there, I didn’t make some of the best swings ever,” Lewis said. “Definitely didn’t deserve bogey on 15, so I was pretty happy making bogey there truthfully. 17, just kind of misjudged the wind and hit a wrong club there, and then the green is really bumpy down there by the hole. 

"But all in all, it was a good, solid day. Didn’t really have to work too hard, which is good.”

Lewis will have to work hard tomorrow though to earn her second robe and third career major championship. In her 2011 victory here, her first major win, Lewis came from two strokes behind to beat Yani Tseng. 

It’s a familiar position for Lewis to find herself in - chasing on a Sunday. Sei Young Kim can’t say the same. Kim said she does her best work chasing from behind and has never led at a major championship, this being only her third appearance in a major ever.

“I feel a bit pressured right now,” Kim said through a translator. “Back in Korea when I was playing on the Korean Tour, I was known for coming from behind and winning tournaments. But to be in the lead going into the final round on the LPGA is fairly new for me. So yeah, I feel some pressure there."

Catriona Matthew in action at the ANA Inspiration
Image courtesy and copyright Joyce Hunnam

Catriona Matthew slipped down to a T19 position on 214 alongside another past British women's open amateur champion, Stephanie Meadow from Northern Ireland.

Catriona has scored 71, 69 and 74, Stephanie 76, 68 and 70.

LEADING THIRD-ROUND SCORES

206 Sei Young Kim (S Korea) 72 65 69

209 Stacy Lewis (USA) 72 69 68

210 Ariya Jutanugarn (Thailand) 71 73 66, Brittany Lincicome (USA) 72 68 70, Morgan Pressel (USA) 67 72 71

SELECTED SCORES

211 Moriya Jutanugarn (Thailand) 71 70 70 (T6)

214 Stephanie Meadow (N Ire3land) 76 68 70, Catriona Matthew (Scotland) 71 69 70 (T19)

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

CLICK HERE