Kim Sei-young hits a driver shot on the fifth hole. [AFP]
Kim Sei-young hits a driver shot on the fifth hole. [AFP]

Kim Sei-young and Kim Hyo-joo are tied for second place after the third round of the LPGA Tour's FM Championship.

Kim Sei-young carded a 5-under-par 67 on Sunday (Korean Standard Time) at TPC Boston (par 72) in Norton, Massachusetts, moving to 11 under par (205) for the tournament. Kim Hyo-joo also finished the day at 11 under after posting a 2-under round, and the two share second place heading into the final round.

Kim Sei-young had opened with an 8-under-par first round to sit one stroke off the lead, then slipped to a share of ninth after dropping two shots Saturday. She bounced back on Sunday — moving day — with an eagle and five birdies against one double bogey for a 5-under 67 that lifted her into a tie for second.

Kim got off to a strong start, making three consecutive birdies on holes 2 through 4 from distances of 5, 1 and 3 meters. She made a double bogey on the par-4 sixth but recovered with birdies on holes 7 and 9, then holed a 4-meter eagle putt on the par-5 12th after reaching the green in two.

Kim Hyo-joo, who had shared the lead after firing a 5-under 67 Saturday, added four birdies and two bogeys Sunday for a 2-under round, leaving her tied for second heading into the final round. She made her first birdie on the third hole, then birdied holes 6 and 7 consecutively. Back-to-back bogeys on holes 10 and 11 cost her, but she recovered one stroke with a birdie on the par-5 12th.

Yin Ruoning of China leads by one stroke at 12 under par (204) after a 4-under 68. She chipped in for birdie on the par-4 sixth and again on the par-4 18th to take sole possession of the lead heading into the final round.

Lee So-mi is tied for fourth at 8 under (208) alongside Korean American Jenny Bae of the United States after posting a 2-under round with three birdies and one bogey. Lim Jin-hee sits at 7 under (209) after a 3-under 69, sharing sixth place.

Yamashita Miyu of Japan, who had shared the lead through two rounds, dropped three shots — two birdies against five bogeys — to fall into a tie for 12th at 6 under (210). Ryu Hae-ran and Ahn Na-rin are also tied for 12th.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda of the United States shot 72 for the third consecutive round and sits tied for 49th in her final tournament before the Solheim Cup in the Netherlands.


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