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[이데일리 스타in 주영로 기자] Lee Mi-rim (31), who aims to win for the second year in a row, and Park In-bi (33), who hunted for the championship for the second consecutive week, reduced the number of strokes in the third round of ANA Inspiration (total prize money of $3.1 million), the first major tournament of the LPGA Tour season , The gap with the lead widened further.
On the 4th (Korean time), Lee Mi-rim hit 4 under par 68 with 6 birdies and 2 bogies in the 3rd round of the tournament held at the Mission Hills Country Club Dyna Shore Tournament Course (par 72) in Rancho Mirage, California, USA. Lee Mi-rim, who recorded 207 strokes at a 9-under par in the middle, was tied for second place, five strokes behind Patty Tawatananap (Thailand), who took the lead with 202 strokes at 14-under par.
Park In-bi also reduced 2 strokes this day to 209 strokes in the middle of the 7-under-par, but the gap widened further as the lead Tawata Nap shortened his five strokes. Park Inbi is tied for fifth place.
Lee Mi-rim, who won this tournament last year and tasted the joy of the first major queen in her life, went on to pursue the lead by catching a birdie in a row from the 2nd to 4th holes at the beginning of the game. After that, he looked at the 7th and 13th holes (above par 4) and paused for a while, but he succeeded in 3 consecutive birdies again in the 14th and 16th holes.
Lee Mi-rim went on the chase by reducing 4 strokes, but Tawatanabunt ran away by reducing 5 strokes by tying 7 buddies and 2 bogies.
Park Inbi reduced 3 strokes by tying 4 birdies and 1 bogie up to the 16th hole, but it was regrettable that he missed a short par putt on the 17th hole (par 3).
Park In-bi, who won the Kia Classic last week, aims to retake the world rankings at the same time as winning the two weeks in a row.
If Park In-bi finishes in second or higher alone and Ko Jin-young (26) finishes in 10th or less, Park In-bi rises to the top of the world rankings. Ko Jin-young, 26, ranked No. 1 in the world ranking, tied for 7th with a 6-under-par 210.
Tawatananain, who held the top spot in three days, will challenge the wire-to-wire victory in 21 years after Kari Webb (Australia) in 2000.
If Tawatanabit, who debuted last year and went on tour this year as a rookie, will win the rookie championship after 27 years following Julie Inster (USA) in 1984.
In this tournament, Tawatana, who has an average drive shot distance of 326 yards, is catching 1 Eagle and 16 birdies with outstanding slugging power. I wrote down four examples.
Leader Tawatananin and Lee Mi-rim and Ali Ewing (USA), who tied for second place, will start the final round in the Champions Group at 5:45 am Korea time on the 5th.
Mirim Lee and Fengshan (4th place) compete in the 4th round 10 minutes before the Champions Group.