Jenny Shin in hunt for maiden LPGA major; Ko Jin-young lurking 4 shots back


In this Getty Images photo, Jenny Shin of Korea tees off on the 12th hole during the third round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey, June 24. AFP-Yonhap

Korean Jenny Shin finds herself one shot off the lead in pursuit of her first career LPGA major title after a strong third-round charge up the leaderboard.

Shin fired a bogey-free round of five-under 66 in the third round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey, on Saturday (local time). It was the lowest score in the field on the day and pushed Shin to second place at six-under 207 overall, one behind the leader, Leona Maguire of Ireland, who is trying to win for the second straight week.

“I was pretty comfortable out there, so the shots were working out,” Shin said. “Had a lot of birdie putts inside 15 feet, which is a bonus at a major.” Shin missed only two fairways and hit 15 greens in regulation on the par-71 course, which played at 6,526 yards in the third round.

Stephanie Meadow of England is alone in third place at five-under. Maguire, Shin and Meadow will play in the final group Sunday.

Shin, whose Korean birth name is Ji-eun, is going for her second career LPGA title, and first since May 2016. With a win Sunday, she would become the 20th different Korean to grab an LPGA major championship.

“I think there’s a progress. I think I’ve put myself in contention a lot more times this year than the past five, six years,” she said. “It’s only Saturday, but it feels great to be where I am, and again, 스포츠 just knowing that I can be here is a massive improvement. It’s nice being where I am, regardless of who happens tomorrow.”

On the crowded leaderboard, world No. 1 from Korea, Ko Jin-young, is lurking at three-under, after her second consecutive round of 69. Ko poured in six birdies, negated by four bogeys, on Saturday.


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