KIM POISED TO WIN FIRST MAJOR TITLE

Sei Young Kim has yet to splurge on the $1.5 million she won last year in the richest prize offered at a tournament in women’s golf.

“I’m just saving up for the future,” she said.

Winning the first major of her career just might be priceless. A 10-time LPGA Tour winner, the 27-year-old South Korean has the unwanted title of winningest active player without a major championship.

Kim went on another streaky run of birdies Saturday at Aronimink, shooting a 3-under 67 to hold the lead and positioning herself to put that label to rest at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Newtown Square, Pa.

Kim sits at 7-under 203, two strokes ahead of Brooke Henderson and Anna Nordqvist, and will try to win it today on a rare early-morning tee time.

“I wouldn’t say I’m nervous, but I’m also excited about going into the final day,” Kim said.

The tournament was delayed three months because of the coronavirus pandemic, landing its final round smack on a packed sports Sunday. The PGA of America had to get creative with the tee times with NBC having other programming commitments on the weekend. Kim, Henderson and Nordqvist tee off at 5:49 a.m. and the last group goes off at 6:16 a.m. The TV window is 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on NBC.

“The only thing I have to keep in mind is that earlier tee times will be a little chillier temperature-wise, so I’ll make sure I have my hand warmers and be ready to play,” Kim said.

Kim was runner-up at the 2015 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and tied for second at the Evian Championship in 2018. Kim held the 54-hole lead at a major once, at the 2015 ANA Inspiration, where she finished tied for fourth.

Elsewhere

Patrick Cantlay picked up enough birdies on the back nine to catch up to Martin Laird, and they each had a 6-under 65 to share the lead going into the final round of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas.

Darren Clarke, Colin Montgomerie and Woody Austin topped the SAS Championship leaderboard at 9 under Saturday, leaving

Jim Furyk three strokes back in his bid to become the first player to win his first three PGA Tour Champions events.

Tyrrell Hatton will take a three-shot lead over JB Hansen and Victor Perez into the final round of the BMW PGA Championship, with British Open champion

Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood, Patrick Reed and David Horsey another stroke back in Virginia Water, England.