Women’s Open Third Round Ranking
-7 J Shin (Kor); -6 L Vu (US); -5 N Korda (USA); -4 L Ko (NZ), J Shin (Kor); -3 JH Im (Kor), A Pano (US), A Thitikul (Tha), R Yin (Chn)
Selected others: -2 L Woad (Eng*), C Hull (Eng); Level L Maguire (Ireland); +3 G-hall (Eng); +4 G Cowley (Eng); +7 L Humphreys (Eng)
*means amateur
Full ranking
Two-time winner Jiyai Shin took the lead in the Women’s Open after a strong third round at St Andrews, while Nelly Korda and Charley Hull fell back.
The South Korean made seven birdies in a five-under-par 67, which took the former world number one to seven under par.
The 36-year-old, who has won two major titles in the event in 2008 and 2012, is one stroke ahead of reigning champion Lilia Vu, with her compatriot Korda a further stroke behind her.
New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, who won the Olympic title earlier this month, shot a 71 to move three strokes behind the leader, along with Korea’s Jenny Shin, who shot a 70.
Korda and Hall struggle on the last nine holes
Korda was the evening leader at eight under par, but the 26-year-old world number one posted a three-over-par 75 on Saturday.
She entered the third round with a three-shot lead and began a mixed day with bogeys on her first two holes, but three birdies on the ninth hole gave her a lead at nine under par.
The two-time major winner struggled on the back nine, however, with consecutive bogeys on the 12th and 13th holes before hitting out of bounds on the par-four 16th for a double bogey, followed by another dropped shot on the 17th.
Korda made a last-minute birdie but admitted it was “not his best day”.
“I think [Sunday] “It’s going to be a tough day,” she added. “I think the wind will be strong. There could be rain too.
“I remain positive and take it step by step.”
At the halfway point of the match, Vu and England’s Hull were her biggest rivals, but while Vu kept up her challenge with a score of 71, Hull, the first-round leader, faded further and further into the background.
Last year, Hull finished second at both the Women’s Open and the Women’s US Open, following up her opening round of 67 with a par of 72.
But like Korda, the 28-year-old also posted a 75 on Saturday, starting strongly with a birdie at the third to briefly share the lead at six under.
However, a double bogey on the par-five fifth left her with no momentum, and further bogeys on the 11th, 16th and 17th holes saw her drop down the leaderboard.
A birdie on the final hole saw Hull, who has yet to win a major title, finish five strokes behind Shin.
She is on the same level as 20-year-old English amateur Lottie Woad, who again impressed with a score of 72. She also hit her second shot from the fairway, good for an eagle-deuce on the final hole.
Switzerland’s Albanian Valenzuela and Germany’s Esther Henseleit are also at -2, having climbed their way up the rankings at -66.
Follow the final round on BBC Sport
11:00 am BST – live radio commentary on the BBC Sport website
13:30 – live text commentary on the BBC Sport website
20:00 – TV highlights of the final round on Red Button
00:10 – TV highlights from the final round on BBC Two
