Grace Park and Kim Mi-Hyun`s Ambition to Turn the Table

Grace Park (22) and Kim Mi-Hyun (24, KTF) remained in the leading group at the third round of LPGA Corning Classic (total prize of $900,000), opened in Corning Country Club (Par-72, 6062 yard), in Corning, New York.

Grace Park, who is attempting for the second title in this season, finished the second round to rank the third place. But she moved back to the fourth place recording the three round total score of 206 (10 under par), with four birdies and two bogeys in the third round (two-under-par score of 70). She is four strokes behind the leader Mhairi McKay (Scotland, 14-under-par three round total score of 202).

As her tee-shots and puttings became unstable, Park recorded two bogeys in the ninth hole (par 4) and the sixteenth hole (par 4) with respectively four-on, one put, and three-on, two puts.

Kim Mi-Hyun who ranked 19th place in the second round moved up to the seventh place (a nine-under-par three round total score of 207), recording a five-under-par score of 67 with 7 birdies and two bogeys.

If Park, who recorded six under par in the second round, and Kim who recorded five under par in the third round, score the consecutive birdies in the final round, they could reverse the game and win the title.

Sweden`s Maria Hjorth ranked the same place with Kim Mi-Hyun in the second round, but fired a nine-under-par of 63 to move into second place, one stroke back in the third round. Her score of 63 is the best score of her career which ties the course record.

Jang Jung moved into the 17th place with a six-under-par three round total of 210, and Park Hee-Jung ranked in 25th place with a five-under-par three round total of 211.

Kim Jong-Seok kjs0123@donga.com