Unflappable former world No.1 Jiyai Shin has emerged from the pack to steal the outright Australian Open third-round lead in Melbourne.
Shin conjured some late magic to enrich her extraordinary consistency to grab an unbelievable two-shot benefit over in-form residence hope Hannah Inexperienced on Saturday.
Chasing a second Open victory, after profitable in Canberra in 2013, Shin chipped in on the seventeenth gap, then drained a protracted bomb on the final to soar to 14 beneath par for the championship.
The 2-time British Open champion ultimately signed for a blinding six-under 67 on the rainswept Kingston Heath Golf Membership and has, amazingly given the situations, solely made two bogeys by way of 54 holes.
With an astonishing six birdies in a row mid-round, Inexperienced had appeared destined to guide into the ultimate spherical earlier than an unlucky double-bogey stumble on the seventeenth.
The world No.6 left her second shot within the lure after her ball clipped the lip of the bunker, then missed her bogey putt try earlier than Shin chipped in on the exact same gap for a loopy late four-shot swing on the prime.
Exhibiting the category that has already yielded three titles on the LPGA Tour this 12 months, Inexperienced bounced again together with her eighth birdie of the day on the final to signal for a 68.
At 12 beneath, the 27-year-old West Australian is 2 behind Shin and two in entrance of South Africa’s two-time defending champion Ashleigh Buhai, who matched Shin’s 67.
With 20-year-old Queenslander Justice Bosio six photographs off the tempo in fourth, the event appears a three-way battle for the Patricia Bridges Bowl after 5 gamers had held no less than a share of the lead on a day of fluctuating fortunes.
Bosio was a type of after following up a birdie on the ninth with an eagle three at No.10 to go prime on her personal at 12 beneath.
However the former novice star and 2023 Karrie Webb Scholarship recipient dropped 4 photographs on the again 9.
Fellow Australian Steph Kyriacou is solo fifth, one stroke behind Bosio at seven beneath after mixing an eagle and 5 birdies with 4 bogeys and eight pars in a tumultuous spherical of 70.
Shin’s 17-year-old compatriot Hyojin Yang’s audacious try to win the Open as an novice seemingly got here to an finish because the midway chief carded a 76 to droop to 6 beneath and outright sixth.
Twin main winner Minjee Lee was a giant early mover in horrible situations to start out the day.
The previous world No.2 defied driving rain to carve out an excellent bogey-free 69 to storm as much as eleventh at one beneath.
