Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn carded a five-under 67 to take a four-shot lead into the final round of the US Women’s Open.
After the rain-hit second round spilled over into day three, the 22-year-old had to play 28 holes, firing six birdies and a solitary bogey during the penultimate round to sit on 12-under overall.
Speaking after the marathon day, Jutanugarn told LPGA.com: “I told myself to just go out and have fun and be really committed, and I did.
“My putting has been working pretty good. I didn’t hit my tee shots very well, but it was a fun day.”
Having set the pace after round two, back-to-back bogeys on an otherwise faultless round left Australian Sarah Jane Smith in second place on eight-under for the week.
Two shots further back is South Korean Hyo Joo Kim, a bogey on the par-three fifth hole the only blemish on her round of 68.
England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff mixed three bogeys with two birdies to shoot a round of 73 and tie for 14th, while compatriot Charley Hull is a shot further back on one over par overall.
US Women’s Open collated third round scores
204 Ariya Jutanugarn (Tha) 67 70 67
208 Sarah-Jane Smith (Aus) 67 67 74
210 Hyo Joo Kim (Kor) 70 72 68
211 Ji-hyun Kim (Kor) 70 71 70
212 Madelene Sagstrom (Swe) 70 72 70, Carlota Ciganda (Spa) 73 68 71, Inbee Park (Kor) 70 71 71
214 Wei-Ling Hsu (Tai) 71 73 70
215 So Yeon Ryu (Kor) 73 70 72, Patty Tavatanakit (Tha) 70 73 72, Nelly Korda 70 74 71, Eun-Hee Ji (Kor) 73 72 70, Megan Khang 72 74 69
216 Lexi Thompson 71 75 70, Nasa Hataoka (Jpn) 74 70 72, Jeongeun Lee (Kor) 67 75 74, Jodi Ewart Shadoff (Eng) 72 71 73, Su Oh (Aus) 70 68 78, Jenny Shin 72 69 75, (a) Albane Valenzuela (Swi) 72 73 71, Angela Stanford 73 72 71, Danielle Kang 69 77 70
217 Michelle Wie 69 72 76, Sei Young Kim (Kor) 70 71 76, Elizabeth Wang 72 74 71, Charley Hull (Eng) 74 73 70
218 Cristie Kerr 73 75 70, Brittany Lincicome 75 72 71, Lizette Salas 74 73 71
219 Emma Talley 74 71 74, Chella Choi (Kor) 71 70 78, Azahara Munoz (Spa) 74 73 72, Linn Grant (Swe) 69 72 78, (a) Kristen Gillman 70 74 75, Jennifer Song 72 71 76, Teresa Lu (Tai) 75 71 73, Jin Young Ko (Kor) 75 73 71
220 Ashleigh Buhai (Rsa) 73 71 76, 221 Emily K Pedersen (Den) 70 75 76, Ryann O'Toole 77 71 73, Caroline Masson (Ger) 72 74 75
222 Lindy Duncan 71 74 77, Jane Park 72 75 75, In Kyung Kim (Kor) 72 73 77, Luna Sobron (Spa) 70 75 77, In Gee Chun (Kor) 74 73 75, Saranporn Langkulgasettri (Tha) 73 73 76
223 Lucy Li 72 74 77, Hyun Kyung Park (Kor) 76 72 75, Austin Ernst 74 74 75, Georgia Hall (Eng) 72 76 75, Hye Jin Choi (Kor) 71 76 76, Moriya Jutanugarn (Tha) 76 72 75, Minjee Lee (Aus) 72 71 80, Brittany Altomare 76 70 77
224 Marina Alex 73 75 76, Lydia Ko (Nzl) 71 77 76, Wichanee Meechai (Tha) 72 75 77, Rumi Yoshiba (Jpn) 74 71 79, Jillian Hollis 76 70 78
225 Hailee Cooper 72 76 77
226 Pernilla Lindberg (Swe) 76 72 78, Daniela Darquea (Ecu) 74 74 78
Cut to take place at end of Round 2 for scores of no more than 148
