Hyo-Joo Kim holds one-shot lead at stormy Evian Championship
Saturday 27 July 2019 17:34, UK
Hyo-Joo Kim will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Evian Championship as South Koreans dominated the top of the leaderboard in France.
Kim, the 2014 champion, completed an eight-birdie 65 moments before thunderstorms arrived as she closed on 15 under and one clear of Sung Hyun Park, with Jin Young Ko and Inbee Park a further three shots off the pace.
After dropping only one stroke over the first 36 holes, Kim bogeyed two of the first four on Saturday either side of a birdie at the second, but she then birdied five, seven and nine to turn in 33.
The 24-year-old then surged into the outright lead with four birdies in an impressive five-hole stretch on the back nine, including her fourth two of the day as she feasted on the par-threes, although she was unable to convert another chance in heavy rain at the last.
"I definitely have good memories of this tournament because of my win," said Kim, whose 2014 win remains her only major title. "Today was really fun to play with Sung Hyun and Mi Hyang, players that I have known for really, really long time. I think that helped to be comfortable.
"When I won in 2014, I was a little bit nervous and it seems like this year I'm in the same position. Obviously winning is on my mind a lot, but I've won before so that will help my confidence for Sunday. I just need to be focused, and it would be really nice if I played well tomorrow."
Kim will play the final round with world No 1 Park, who birdied the last to complete a 66 which included three other birdies and an eagle at the long ninth while carding only her second bogey of the week at the sixth.
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Inbee Park, who won the Evian in 2012 before the tournament was added to the major rota, mixed six birdies with four bogeys in a 69 which lifted her to 11 under alongside world No 2 Ko, the reigning ANA Inspiration champion.
Ko's bid for a second major victory of 2019 was bolstered by a six-birdie 66, but it was a difficult day for overnight leader Mi Hyang Lee as she stuttered to a level-par 71 to slip into a tie for fifth with Shanshan Feng, who was two over after four holes before recovering to post a 68.
Lee is the only member of the top six without a major title, the other five having a combined 12 between them, while Caroline Hedwall emerged as the leading European challenger after a 68 saw the Swede move to nine under and within six of the lead.
Two-time major winner Ariya Jutanugarn eagled the last to cap a best-of-the-day 64 which propelled her into the top 10 on eight under and one ahead of her sister, Moriya (66).
England's Bronte Law birdied three of the last five holes to return a 66 and move to six under as the 24-year-old targets a first top-10 finish in a major, but Mel Reid and Charley Hull were unable to match the low scoring of the leaders and both laboured to one-over 72s to close on three under par.
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