Mi-rim shrugs off early bogey to grab Kia Classic lead

LOS ANGELES: Lee Mi-rim (pic) shrugged off an opening bogey to card six birdies in a five-under 67 and seize a one-shot lead after three rounds of the LPGA Kia Classic in Carlsbad, California.

With a 13-under total of 203, Mi-rim was the one in front of fellow South Korean Hur Mi-jung, whose seven birdies in a six-under 66 included three in a row to cap her round on Saturday.

It was a further two strokes back to South Korea’s Chun In-gee, who signed for a 67, and American Cristie Kerr, the overnight leader who bogeyed the last for a one-under 71 that left her tied for third on 206.

Mi-rim, who captured both of her LPGA Tour titles in her rookie season in 2014, finds herself in a familiar position.

Two years ago she also held the 54-hole lead, three strokes in front of Kerr – who went on to win the tournament.

After her bogey at the first, Mi-rim got going with three birdies in a row from the third through fifth holes, and she added birdies at the ninth, 10th and 16th to take the lead as Kerr endured a roller-coaster of a day.

The United States veteran had five birdies, but closed the round with the last of her four bogeys. World No. 3 In-gee, who shared the firstround lead before spiraling to a 73 on Friday, clawed her way back up the leaderboard with six birdies in her five-under effort.

“Stay patient,” she said of her mindset, and it paid off with a “really good back nine” for the player whose only two LPGA Tour victories have come in Major championships.

Defending champion and world No. 1 Lydia Ko was absent for the weekend action, having missed the cut for just the second time in her LPGA Tour career on Friday.