Two-time champion Jiyai Shin capitalized on a back-nine collapse by top-ranked Nelly Korda to take a one-shot lead after the third round of the Women’s British Open at St. Andrews on Saturday.
Nothing will give the 36-year-old Shin more confidence heading into the final round than how she collected the last of her seven birdies in a 5-under 67 at the home of golf.
On the par-4 17th, the famous Road Hole, the former world No. 1 hit a fairway wood that landed at the front of the green and rolled to inside two feet from the pin.
That took Shin to 7-under par at the fifth and final major of the year, and it’s the number the South Korean will set off on Sunday in her bid to follow up her Women’s British Open titles in 2008 and 2012.
“This is my third time at St Andrews. That’s how much I’ve played it, for so long,” said Shin, who was tied for 11th after two rounds. “I have a lot of experience with links course and with not tough wind like this, but I pretty much have a lot of good experience.”
Korda is also seeking her third major title — her first at the British Open — but will start two strokes off the lead after seeing her form from the opening two days desert her in shooting 75.
Starting with a three-shot advantage, the American missed short par putts at her first two holes to drop into a share of the lead, only to regain it with three birdies before the turn.
Korda lost her way on the back nine, missing a par putt from 4 feet at No. 12, another from 5 feet at No. 13 and then making double on No. 16 after pushing her drive out of bounds.
There was another bogey at the 17th — a tough hole she had birdied Thursday and Friday — but a birdie at the last left Korda in third place. Olympic champion Lydia Ko (71) and Jenny Shin (70) are tied for fourth.
Defending champion Lilia Vu rolled in a birdie putt on No. 18 to shoot 71 and be alone in second place.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.