Nasa Hataoka produced a dazzling 66 in tough conditions to seize the third-round lead in the US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach as England’s Charley Hull kept her faint hopes alive.
The Japanese leader, 24, shot a bogey-free 66 to finish on seven-under-par on a day when nobody else broke 70 and only 11 of the 74-strong field came home under par.
American Allisen Corpuz fell out of a share of the lead with a bogey on the last with overnight leader Bailey Tardy and South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim two shots back, two ahead of Korean duo Jiyai Shin and Hae Ran Ryu – the only other players under par.
Hataoka has lost in play-offs at two majors, including the US Women’s Open two years ago.
She said: “Although circumstances may be different, I think some of the elements are still the same as they were versus two years ago.
“In other words, I have to go on all of those 18 holes, discuss with my caddie and work out what’s the best for me, and enjoy my day tomorrow.”
Two birdies on the front nine had seen Hull move under par, but she dropped two shots coming home before a birdie on the last saw her continue her daily improvement with a round of 71.
She is tied for seventh on level par with American Angel Yin, seven strokes behind Hataoka and one ahead of a group including rookie sensation Rose Zhang – who won on her professional debut earlier this season – and former world number one Minjee Lee from Australia.
Hull said she “played solid all day” and admitted having more to focus on at Pebble Beach than just the golf was helping her game.
She said: “I struggle to concentrate on the golf course sometimes, so taking it all in, looking at the views, is helping a lot. There’s such good views… I’m really enjoying it out there.
“I’m really looking forward to tomorrow. On this golf course, anything can happen.
“I like it when it’s tough – when the going gets tough, the tough gets going. That’s what my dad always used to say to me.”
Ireland’s Leona Maguire slipped back to two-over-par as she included two double bogeys in a 75, with England’s Bronte Law tied for 14th a shot further back after a 72.
Irish amateur Aine Donegan fired a third round 75 after a nine on the eighth derailed three early birdies but remained just inside the top 20 on four over.
McIlroy: Golf could learn from Northern Ireland peace process
Rory McIlroy has urged professional golf to find a "compromise" to the ongoing rift between the PGA Tour and the breakaway LIV circuit.
The world number two suggested they should follow the example of the Northern Ireland peace process, recalling the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, a peace deal that helped to end the Troubles in his homeland.
McIlroy noted the advantages of a deal being reached soon while admitting that both golf tours would have to compromise in the process.
Speaking ahead of this week’s Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina, McIlroy said: "I sort of liken it to like when Northern Ireland went through the peace process in the '90s and the Good Friday Agreement. Neither side was happy.
"Catholics weren't happy, Protestants weren't happy, but it brought peace and then you just sort of learn to live with whatever has been negotiated, right?
"That was in 1998, and 20, 25, 30 years ahead, my generation doesn't know any different. It's just this is what it's always been like, and we've never known anything but peace.
"That's sort of my little way of trying to think about it and trying to make both sides see that there could be a compromise here.
"It's probably not going to feel great for either side, but if it's a place where the game of golf starts to thrive again, and we can all get back together, then I think that's ultimately a really good thing."
Tiger Woods confirmed as part of PGA Championship field
Tiger Woods has been officially named as part of the field for next week's PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club.
Woods, who has clinched four of his 15 major titles at the PGA Championship, made a record-breaking 24th consecutive cut at the Masters last month.
A nightmare third round of 82 – his worst ever at Augusta National – meant he finished last of all players to make the cut on 16 over, but he immediately outlined his intention to play the remaining three majors of 2024.
On Tuesday, the 48-year-old was officially confirmed as being part of the field for next week's event in Louisville, joining 15 other past winners including Rory McIlroy and defending champion Brooks Koepka.
Two further spots will be allocated to the winners of this week's Wells Fargo Championship and Myrtle Beach Classic.
While McIlroy won the last PGA Championship to be held at Valhalla in 2014, Woods triumphed on the previous occasion in 2000, the first leg of the 'Tiger Slam' in which he held all four major titles at once.
Last week, Woods was given a special exemption to allow him to feature at June's U.S. Open, for which he failed to qualify after slipping to 801st in the world rankings.
Things trending in the right direction for Koepka ahead of PGA Championship defence
Brooks Koepka believes things are trending in the right direction as he prepares to defend his PGA Championship title next week, having warmed up with a two-shot win at LIV Golf Singapore.
Koepka recorded his first triumph on the LIV circuit this year on Sunday, shooting a three-under final round of 68 to see off competition from Australian duo Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith.
A resurgent Smith shot five under in the third round in Singapore, but Koepka carded four birdies and one bogey to ensure he became the first player to win four titles on the LIV tour.
His return to form comes at an ideal time, as he gears up for a bid to win his fourth PGA Championship title – and sixth major overall – at Valhalla Golf Club next week.
"It's all starting to come around. I've put in a lot of work and I like the way things are trending," the Florida native said.
"I just need to go back next week and make sure everything continues, do the right stuff and go from there."
Kopeka had finished in a share of ninth in LIV's previous event in Adelaide one week earlier, four shots back of winner Brendan Steele.
The 34-year-old continued: "I feel good – I feel a lot better than I did last week.
"It was about rounding the corner for me. I was improving but the results weren't there. It's nice to see some results and the hard work paying off.
"I still have the same expectations every time I go tee it up and that's to win. Those are my expectations, what I want to do. One result doesn't mean anything really in the scheme of things.
"For two weeks, a lot can change. Yeah, it does help, but at the same time, I've seen guys miss cuts and then go win and then win and then not compete the week after. It's all ebbs and flows."
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