An Na-rin surges to fourth at LPGA Portland Classic after third round

An Na-rin fired a 6-under-par 66 on Saturday to vault into sole fourth place after the third round of the LPGA Tour's Standard Portland Classic, which carries a $2 million purse.

Playing at Columbia Edgewater Country Club (par 72) in Portland, Oregon, An carded eight birdies against two bogeys to post a third-round total of 13-under 203.

Rising from a tie for 17th to sole fourth, An trails co-leaders Sofia Schubert of the United States and Arpichaya Yubol of Thailand — both at 16-under 200 — by three strokes heading into Sunday's final round.

An joined the LPGA Tour in 2022 and has yet to claim a victory. Her best finish remains a runner-up result at this same event in August 2024. This year has been a struggle: she missed the cut in four of 10 starts and had not recorded a single top-20 finish.

On Saturday, however, An turned her round around with sharp ball-striking and a hot putter. She opened with a bogey on the par-4 first hole but quickly steadied herself, reeling off three consecutive birdies starting at the par-3 second.

She added birdies at the par-5 seventh, par-5 10th and par-3 13th to keep the momentum going. A second bogey came at the par-4 15th, where a short par putt lipped out. An answered immediately with a downhill birdie putt of more than 10 meters at the par-3 16th, then closed with another birdie at the par-4 18th.

Jeon Ji-won also shot a bogey-free 66, collecting six birdies to move into a tie for fifth at 12-under 204. Choi Woon-jung also climbed into that tie after a 5-under round. Joo Su-bin carded a 4-under 67 to sit in a tie for 11th at 11-under 205.

Choi Hye-jin, who had shared second place through two rounds, stumbled Saturday with just one birdie and one bogey for an even-par 72, dropping into a tie for 11th.

World No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand sits alone in third at 14-under 202. Minami Katsu and Erika Hara of Japan, Chanettee Wannasaen of Thailand and Manon Gros of Belgium are tied for fifth at 12-under 204.