Kim Hyo-joo Tied 3rd by 1 Stroke: "Major Victory Within Sight"

AIG Women's Open 3R 4-Under Par Excitement
Boo and Hull Tied for Lead, Shin Ji-ae Tied 7th
Korda 9th, Ko Jin-young 17th, Jeon In-ji 61st

World No. 7 Kim Hyo-joo is competing for a major championship victory.

On the 12th (local time), at Walton Heath Golf Club in Surrey, England (par 72, 6,881 yards), Kim posted a 4-under-par round in the third round of the final major tournament of the 2023 LPGA Tour season, the AIG Women's Open (total prize money $9 million), moving up to a tie for 3rd place (8-under-par 208). Lilia Vu (USA) and Charley Hull (England) share the lead (9-under-par 207), with Angel Yin tied for 3rd, and Ally Ewing (all from the USA) in 5th place (7-under-par 209).

Kim Hyo-joo is hitting an iron shot on the fairway at the 3rd hole of the 3rd round of the major tournament AIG Women's Open. [Surrey (England)=AP·Yonhap News]

Starting from a tie for 5th place, 6 strokes behind, Kim Hyo-joo recorded six birdies and two bogeys. After exchanging two birdies and two bogeys over 12 holes without much progress in lowering her score, she changed the momentum with a birdie on the 13th hole (par 4). She then showed a fierce finishing kick with three consecutive birdies from the 15th to 17th holes. Her long drives averaged 266 yards, and she stood out with 27 putts. She is just one stroke behind the co-leaders, aiming for her sixth career win and her first in 1 year and 4 months since winning the Lotte Championship in April last year. Kim previously won a major at the 2014 Evian Championship.

Vu surged with a 5-under-par round to dominate the top of the leaderboard. She debuted on the LPGA Tour in 2019 and is an emerging force with two wins this year at the Honda Championship and the major Chevron Championship. Hull, playing on her home course, reduced her score by 4 strokes and is in a position to contend for the title. On the other hand, Ewing, who led by 5 strokes the previous day, struggled with a 3-over-par round and dropped five places. Shin Ji-ae is tied for 7th (5-under-par 211), while world No. 1 Nelly Korda (USA) and Yang Hee-young are tied for 9th (4-under-par 212).

Lee Jeong-eun 6 faltered with an even-par round, slipping to a tie for 15th place (2-under-par 214). World No. 2 Ko Jin-young lost two strokes and fell to a tie for 17th (1-under-par 215). Kim Ah-rim and Shin Ji-eun are also in this group. Choi Hye-jin and Kim Hae-ran are looking to move up from a tie for 35th place (1-over-par 217). Celine Boutier (France), who won the last two tournaments consecutively, is tied for 54th (3-over-par 219). Jeon In-ji, who was challenging for the 'Career Grand Slam,' struggled with a 6-over-par round and dropped to a tie for 61st place (4-over-par 220).