Despite her weakest round of the week, Sei Young Kim has opened up a four-stroke lead at the BMW Ladies Championship heading into the final round.
Scores in general were a bit higher in the third round, thanks to heavy winds impacting much of the round. Many of Kim’s closest competitors like Rio Takeda and Brooke Matthews really struggled, leaving the door open for the 32-year-old Korean native.
Kim’s near perfection on the first two days disappeared a bit, and what we saw was much more typical of the 12-time LPGA Tour winner. While Kim made five birdies and an eagle, she also made four bogeys on the day including on holes 16 and 18, which sandwiched her eagle on 17. In total she finished with a -3 69, bringing her total score to -19.
Kim doubled both her fairways missed and her greens missed, but turned in another solid day on the greens with 29 putts.
One of Kim’s closest competitors is Japan’s Nasa Hataoka, sitting four strokes back at -15. Hataoka, like Kim, is also trying to break a long winless streak.
Joining Kim and Hataoka in the final group is Yealimi Noh, who hasn’t played as well of late after a phenomenal start to the season, but looks to be back in good form here in Korea, just in time for the International Crown where she will represent the United States.
The final round of the BMW Ladies Championship kicks off tonight.
