Henderson, Korda lead LPGA major

Brooke Henderson tied a Mission Hills record with a 30 on the front nine and did just enough the rest of the round Saturday for a 7-under-par 65 and a share of the lead with Nelly Korda in the ANA Inspiration in Rancho Mirage, California.

Henderson started the weekend six shots behind and wanted only to get as close to the lead as possible. Now she goes into the final round with a second major championship in her sights.

Korda began with a two-shot lead and fell three shots back with a rough stretch on the front nine, particularly the sixth hole by hitting 5-wood through the fairway into the gnarly rough and not getting over the water, leading to double bogey.

She rallied with three birdies on the back nine, however, for a 71 that allowed her to join Henderson at 12-under 204.

They have a two-shot lead over Lexi Thompson (69), Mirim Lee (71) and Katherine Kirk, who quietly went about her business with a 67 that landed the Australian in the final group.

“Sort of an easy start which was nice, and relaxed a little bit,” Henderson said. “Being moving day, I wanted to get a solid round out there and try to climb the leaderboard as much as possible. Still a lot of golf to be played, but nice to see my name up there. And hopefully, [Sunday] I can post a similar round.”

It was the hottest day of the tournament, the temperature climbing just past 100 degrees late in the day, helped by a mild haze from California fires that kept the sun from burning brighter. Korda was among those with an umbrella on the back nine to fend off the sun.

Ten players were separated by four shots, a group that included Carlota Ciganda at 9-under 207 and former Mission Hills winner Stacy Lewis another shot back. Both shot 67.

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

Steve Stricker and Miguel Angel Jimenez shared the lead going into the final round of the Sanford International, with Fred Couples, Darren Clarke and Kevin Sutherland a shot behind after a low-scoring day in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The only player at at Minehaha Country Club set to play next week in the U.S. Open at Winged Foot, Stricker birdied the par-5 16th and par-4 18th on for a 6-under 64 to post at 9-under 131. Jimenez shot a 66.

EUROPEAN TOUR

South African golfer George Coetzee will take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the Portugal Masters in Vilamoura after shooting 5-under 66 in the third round.

Coetzee entered the weekend eight shots behind Julien Guerrier. But the overnight leader bogeyed four holes on the day, and Coetzee made an eagle and four birdies to go with just one bogey to move to 11 under at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course. Guerrier and Masahiro Kawamura were joint second at one shot behind Coetzee.