Shin takes Women’s Open lead as Korda and Hull toil

Women’s Open third-round leaderboard

-7 J Shin (Kor); -6 L Vu (US); -5 N Korda (US); -4 L Ko (NZ), J Shin (Kor); -3 J-H Im (Kor), A Pano (US), A Thitikul (Tha), R Yin (Chn)

Selected others: -2 L Woad (Eng*), C Hull (Eng); Level L Maguire (Ire); +3 G Hall (Eng); +4 G Cowley (Eng); +7 L Humphreys (Eng)

*denotes amateur

Full leaderboard

Two-time winner Jiyai Shin stormed into the lead of the Women’s Open after a fine third round at St Andrews as Nelly Korda and Charley Hull fell back.

The South Korean holed seven birdies in a five-under 67 as the former world number one reached seven under par.

The 36-year-old, whose two major wins came in this event in 2008 and 2012, is one stroke ahead of defending champion Lilia Vu, with her fellow American Korda a shot further back.

New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, who won the Olympic title earlier this month, hit a 71 and is three off the lead, alongside Korea’s Jenny Shin, who shot a 70.

Korda and Hall struggle on back nine

Korda was the overnight leader on eight under but the 26-year-old world number one carded a three-over 75 on Saturday.

She went into the third round with a three-shot lead and began a mixed day with bogeys on her first two holes but three birdies by the ninth, saw her lead on nine under.

However, the two-time major winner struggled on the back nine, with successive bogeys on the 12th and 13th holes before driving out of bounds on the par-four 16th. That led to a double bogey which was followed by another dropped shot at the 17th.

Korda finished with a birdie at the last but conceded “it wasn’t the best of days”.

“I think [Sunday] is going to be a tough day,” she added. “I think the winds are going to be high. There could be rain, as well.

“I’m going to keep a positive attitude, and take it one shot at a time.”

Vu and England’s Hull were her closest rivals at halfway, but while Vu kept up her challenge with a 71, first-round leader Hull drifted further.

Hull was runner-up in both the Women’s Open and Women’s US Open last year, and followed up her opening 67 with a level-par 72.

But, like Korda, the 28-year-old also signed for a 75 on Saturday. She started brightly with a birdie on the third that saw her briefly share the lead on six under.

However, a double bogey on the par-five fifth halted her momentum and further bogeys on the 11th, 16th and 17th saw her slump down the leaderboard.

A birdie on the last saw Hull, who is yet to win a major title, finish five shots adrift of Shin.

She is tied on that score with 20-year-old English amateur Lottie Woad, who continued to impress with a 72 which included holing her second shot from the fairway for an eagle-two on the last.

Switzerland’s Albane Valenzuela and Germany’s Esther Henseleit are also on two under after thrusting themselves up the leaderboard with six-under 66s.

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