Kim in Kingsbarns control after moving day masterclass
It was moving day on the Fife coast.
A day in which the field was supposed to make up ground on overnight leader In-Kyung Kim.
The 29-year-old, though, had failed to read the script.
Following an early charge from Inbee park, who matched the course record (64) set by Michelle Wie on Thursday, it looked like the pressure would be on as she sat just one off the Korean’s lead at 10-under.
Kim battered away any lingering doubts to take firm control with four birdies as her putter got hot on her opening nine.
England’s young hope, Georgia Hall, was alongside Kim but couldn’t live with the pace being set as she sat four off the lead despite going out in 34.
Birdies on 11 and 12 to start Kim’s back nine only strengthened her position at the top of the leaderboard before Hall rallied on the 13th tee to grab three birdies in a row and cut the deficit in half.
Just as the race was hotting up Hall faltered.
After finding the deep rough on 16 she punched her recovery shot into the front left bunker and failed to get up and down for par.
But, the worst was to come.
A costly double bogey on 17 saw the 21-year-old four-putt from thirty feet to fall back to 11-under alongside Moriya Jutanugarn (67), the older sister of 2016 champion Ariya, and undo much of her afternoon’s work.
A par finish for the pair saw Hall sign for a 70 and give Kim (66) a six shot lead heading into Sunday’s showdown.
The Korean, who sits at 17-under, grabbed a piece of history in the process as she recorded the lowest score to par after three rounds in the history of the event.
“It was a lot of fun I think,” Kim told reporters.
“I don’t remember having a six shot lead before. But at the same time I can’t really control other people. I just have to control my game.
“So it really doesn’t matter how many shots ahead or behind to me.”
