PHOENIX — Hyo Joo Kim blew previous Nelly Korda and proper into the LPGA report ebook Saturday along with her second rating this week of 11-under 61, giving her the bottom 54-hole rating in LPGA historical past and a four-shot lead within the Ford Championship.

Kim had seven consecutive one-putt greens, together with her torrid begin to the again 9 on the Cattail course at Whirlwind Golf Membership when she went birdie-birdie-eagle-birdie as she began to drag away.

Even her unhealthy photographs turned out good. On the par-4 sixteenth, the 30-year-old South Korean regarded away in disgust when she pulled her method, just for the ball to bounce proper and take the slope right down to 7 toes for one more birdie.

She had a two-putt birdie on the seventeenth, and her par on the 18th put her at 25-under 191, breaking by one shot the 54-hole report earlier shared by 4 gamers.

“All spherical every thing was nice — putter, iron, driver, every thing was as I might need it to go,” Kim stated.

There was little Korda may do about. She began with a two-shot lead, posted a bogey-free 67 and goes into the ultimate spherical trailing by 4 photographs.

“It was nice,” Korda stated. “I imply, enjoying with somebody like Hyo Joo in the present day it didn’t really feel like that good of a spherical. She performed unbelievable golf, putted rather well. Total, I am by no means going to complain a couple of bogey-free spherical and 5 below. So it was strong.”

Kim is the defending champion in Phoenix, and he or she is coming off a victory final week within the Founders Cup when she held off a late rally by Korda to win by one. Sunday shall be their fifth consecutive spherical enjoying in the identical group.

“Nelly is my favourite participant. It has been nice enjoying collectively,” Kim stated.

Kim additionally shot a 61 within the opening spherical when morning circumstances had been ripe for good scoring. That spherical was ignored as a result of Lydia Ko shot a 60. Ko has pale since then with rounds of 71 and 69, whereas the South Korean with the graceful placing contact has soared.

Kim took solely 25 putts within the third spherical. Korda had stated Friday after her third straight spherical enjoying with Kim, “Watching somebody putt the best way that she does, I imply it is all the time so mesmerizing for me.”

Mimi Rhodes, the 24-year-old LPGA rookie from England, earlier posted a 63 and was in a big group tied for third that included Ko, Chizzy Iwai, Minami Katsu and Ina Yoon. However all of them are 9 photographs behind.

Sunday was shaping up as a two-person race between gamers who have already got gained this 12 months. Korda took the season opener that was lower to 54 holes due to excessive chilly and wind in Florida, whereas Kim gained final week at Sharon Heights.

At stake for Kim is an opportunity to interrupt the 72-hole report set by Sei Younger Kim at 257 within the 2018 Thornberry Creek LPGA Basic.

“You see her make putt over putt over putt and hit actually good photographs, however it’s important to actually remind your self that it’s simply Saturday,” Korda stated. “There’s nonetheless 18 extra holes left.”

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