Seo Kyo-rim pulls 3 shots clear; Kim Min-sol gives chase heading into final round

Seo Kyo-rim has opened a three-shot lead at the BC Card·Hankyung 48th KLPGA Championship, the second major of the season on the KLPGA Tour, which carries a purse of 1.5 billion won ($1.08 million).

Playing in foul weather Saturday at Pocheon Hills Country Club's Garden-Palace Course (par 72) in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, Seo carded a bogey-free round of three birdies to reach a 54-hole total of 10-under-par 206, moving three shots clear of rival Kim Min-sol, who posted a 1-under round on the day.

The third round turned into a battle against the elements. Rain and a lightning warning forced play to be suspended for 2 hours and 28 minutes, from 1:07 p.m. to 3:35 p.m. The lengthy delay threatened to disrupt both players' momentum, but neither let it shake their resolve.

Seo seized the lead with birdies on the par-5 3rd hole from 2.4 meters and the par-4 5th from 2.6 meters. Staying composed through the weather stoppage, she added a third birdie on the par-4 15th, sticking her second shot to within 2.7 meters of the pin.

Kim overcame an early setback — a double bogey on the par-5 3rd hole after sending her third shot into the rough — by birdieing three of the remaining holes. After play resumed, she birdied the 7th and 8th holes consecutively to cancel out the damage, then added another birdie from 2.7 meters on the par-4 17th to keep the gap to Seo at three shots.

Seo and Kim have been paired together for all four rounds of the tournament, turning the event into a head-to-head duel. Both players have three KLPGA wins to their name this season, and Sunday's final round will determine who holds the upper hand in individual title races — Seo leads in player-of-the-year points, while Kim tops the money list.

At last week's Mediheal·Korea Ilbo Championship, Seo shot an 8-under final round to overturn a deficit and beat Kim for the title. A win Sunday would give Seo back-to-back victories. Kim, for her part, would be exacting revenge in kind if she can erase a three-shot deficit — the same margin by which she lost last week.

"It's the first time Minol and I have played together for all four rounds," Seo said after the round. "She's such a talented player that there's some pressure playing alongside her. But I'm going to stay focused on my own game until the very end and not let the title slip away."

Kim said the pairing was on her mind as well. "Playing with Kyorim did get to me a little. But my ball-striking has been so inconsistent this week that I've been focusing more on battling myself than competing with her," she said. "I remember coming back on the final three holes to win the BC Card·Hankyung Ladies Cup last year. All I can do is give every shot my best."

Kim Min-ju fired a 4-under 68, birdieing five of her back-nine holes, to reach 7-under 209 for the tournament and share third place with Ko Ji-woo.

Kim Min-ju will join Seo and Kim Min-sol in the final-round championship grouping. "There will be a little nerves, but I'll try to play my own game as usual," she said. "Both Seo and Kim hit it a long way and are in great form, so there may be some pressure having to hit first. But if I can find a good rhythm and tempo, I think I can feed off the energy and play even better."

Jeong So-i carded a 5-under 67 to sit at 5-under 211 for the tournament, joining Park Hye-jun and Park Bo-gyeom in a share of fifth place.