Lindberg leads, Ko fades

Pernilla Lindberg glanced at Poppie’s Pond walking off the 18th green at the ANA Inspiration, knowing she put herself in perfect position to celebrate her first professional golf title with the traditional victory plunge.

Kiwi Lydia Ko, who made the winner’s leap into Poppie’s Pond in 2016, has almost no prospect of a repeat this year, with her one-over third round 73 dropping her 11 shots adrift of the lead.

‘‘I’ve played a lot of golf in my life and I just feel like the pieces are kind of falling together,’' Lindberg said. ‘‘I’m just letting it happen.’'

The 31-year-old Swede shot a 2-under 70 on another hot and mostly calm day at Mission Hills, pulling away when playing partner Sung Hyun Park collapsed on the back nine.

Needing a good round on moving day, Ko dropped a shot on the par four first, birdied the second, then ran up a double bogey on the third.

Consistency arrived after that in the shape of 12 pars, two birdies and a solitary bogey.

Ko, 20, had ended her Saturday round with a double bogey, as well as running one up early yesterday to cripple her shot at a third major title.

Amy Olson was second after a 68. The 25-year-old - the LPGA Tour’s only certified public accountant - is seeking her first victory as a pro.

Lindberg was two strokes behind Park after the fourthranked South Korean player made her third straight birdie on the par-5 11th. They were then put on the clock for slow play, and Park dropped five strokes in the next five holes.

Park finished with a 74 to fall into a tie for third at 10 under. She shot a 64 on Friday for a share of the second-round lead with Lindberg.

Inbee Park, the 2013 winner and a seven-time major champion, had a 67 to get into the group at 10 under with Moriya Jutanugarn (66), Jennifer Song (68), Jodi Ewart Shadoff (69) and Charley Hull (69).

Lindberg made a 20-foot birdie putt on the first hole, bogeyed the par-3 fifth for her first dropped stroke of the week, and rebounded with a 20-foot par save on the par-4 sixth. She added a 35-footer for birdie on the par-3 eighth.