Three strokes off the lead at 14 under par heading into final round

Yoon I-na tees off on the 18th hole during the third round of the LPGA Tour's Lotte Championship at Hoakalei Country Club in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, Sunday (Korean Standard Time). [AFP]
Yoon I-na tees off on the 18th hole during the third round of the LPGA Tour's Lotte Championship at Hoakalei Country Club in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, Sunday (Korean Standard Time). [AFP]

Yoon I-na moved into a tie for second place at the LPGA Tour's Lotte Championship on Sunday, keeping her bid for a first tour victory alive heading into the final round.

Yoon carded a 3-under-par 69 in the third round at Hoakalei Country Club (par 72) in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, posting four birdies against one bogey.

At 14 under par and 202 strokes overall, Yoon shares second place with Polly Mack of Germany, three shots behind solo leader Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand, who sits at 17 under par with a 199 total.

Yoon, who made her LPGA Tour debut in 2025, has yet to claim a victory. She has recorded five top-10 finishes this season, including a runner-up finish at the major KPMG Women's PGA Championship, and will compete for her first LPGA title in Sunday's final round.

Yoon made her only bogey of the day on the par-4 second hole but bounced back with a birdie on the par-3 fourth to turn at even par. On the back nine, she birdied the par-4 10th, then added another on the par-3 15th after a string of pars. A closing birdie on the par-5 18th lifted her one spot higher than her Saturday position and into the tie for second.

Thitikul, who began the third round tied for the lead with Mack, fired a 5-under 67 with six birdies and one bogey. She made the turn at even par before surging ahead with five birdies on the back nine to take sole possession of first place.

World No. 2 Thitikul has already won three times this season — at the Honda LPGA Thailand, the Mizuho Americas Open and the Standard Portland Classic — and is chasing a fourth title this week.

Kim A-rim, who led after the opening round, managed only a net 1-under 71 despite six birdies, offset by three bogeys and a double bogey. She sits at 11 under par with a 205 total, tied for ninth.

Lee Jeong-eun and Choi Hye-jin are tied for 16th at 10 under par with 206 totals, while Lee So-mi and Lim Jin-hee share 24th place at 8 under par with 208 totals.


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