After two days of shooting the best round of the day, Grace Kim blew up with a five-over-par 76 but managed to share the lead at the JM Eagle LA Championship on Saturday in Los Angeles.
Kim had a four-stroke lead going into the third round was caught at seven under by defending champion and fellow Australian Hannah Green, who carded a one-under 70.
"When Gracie (Kim) was 12 under par after two rounds, I didn't think anyone would really get to that number," Green said.
"Even now, I think we're all at seven under, and I'm kind of not surprised.
Northern Ireland's Stephanie Meadow is 12 shots off the lead after a three-over 74 left her five over in a tie for 73rd.
LEADERBOARD
South Korean rookie Jin Hee Im shot the best round on Saturday with an eight-under 63 - the new tournament course record at Wilshire Country Club. She is tied for third at six under with Germany's Esther Henseleit (71 on Saturday) and Sweden's Maja Stark (73).
Im had matching rounds of one-over 72 before Saturday's 63, when she had six birdies on the back nine and nine total along with a bogey at six. She hit 16 of 18 greens in regulation.
Japan's Nasa Hataoka (64) is alone in sixth at five under after a bogey at the par-3 18th hole.
Kim carded rounds of 64 (tying the then-scoring record) on Thursday and 66 on Friday, but her Saturday effort included no birdies or better. She made bogeys at two, 10 and 16, and a double bogey at the par-3 fourth.
Green had her third consecutive round below par, though it was an adventure. She recorded an eagle at the par-5 No. 13 and made birdies at two, 14 and16. She hit 12 of 14 fairways in regulation and was two-for-two on sand saves.
But she also made four bogeys, at five, six, nine and 17.
"Hopefully, (Sunday) I can be a bit more consistent," Green said. "Didn't hit many greens today and that's probably led to some of my bogeys. Hopefully, I just play boring golf tomorrow and those putts go in."
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