Nelly Korda finished in style with three consecutive birdies on Saturday and is tied with South Korea’s Sei Young Kim for the lead at 6-under 207 after three rounds of the U.S. Women’s Open in Los Angeles.
Korda fired a 4-under 67 for the second straight day as she takes aim at winning her first U.S. Women’s Open. She is the only golfer to birdie Nos. 16, 17 and 18 in succession over the first three rounds.
Kim shot 68 with one birdie over the last three holes to keep pace with Korda. Jennifer Kupcho (69) and South Korea’s In Gee Chun (69) share third place, one shot behind.
Second-round co-leader Ruoning Yin (71) of China, Japan’s Nasa Hataoka (68) and Mexico’s Gabby Lopez (70) are tied for fifth at Riviera Country Club, located just blocks away from where the devastating fire roared through the Pacific Palisades neighborhood in early 2025.
Korda had five birdies and one bogey as she chases her fourth career major title. The World No. 1 is playing in her 12th U.S. Women’s Open and tied for second last year at Erin Hills.
Kim made five birdies against two bogeys. She is eyeing her second career major title.
Chun, a three-time major winner, had three birdies and two bogeys. After securing an eagle on the par-5 No. 1 hole, she sank consecutive birdies on 11 and 12 to tie Kim for the lead.
Kupcho birdied 16 and 17 to creep up the leaderboard. She had four birdies and two bogeys and is looking for her second career major crown.
Yin birdied 16 and 17 but settled for a par on 18 to finish at even par. Yin had three bogeys over the first nine holes before recording three birdies over the last six holes.
Hataoka had four birdies and one bogey while Lopez eagled the par-4 No. 10 and also had two birdies to go with three bogeys.
The other second-round co-leader, Alison Lee, struggled with five bogeys while scoring four birdies and shooting 72. Her bogey on 18 knocked her into a tie for eighth with England’s Charley Hull (65) and South Korea’s Hyunjo Yoo (71) at 3-under 210.
Hull shot 73-72 the first two rounds but jetted into contention with seven birdies and one bogey. She finished the round with three birdies in the last five holes.
Yoo had three birdies and three bogeys.
–Field Level Media
