[Women’s British Open] Koreans, Japanese Lead after 3rd Rd.

Korean and Japanese women golfers are waging a fierce competition for the last major title of the season.

Shin Ji-yai of Korea hit three birdies and a bogey for second after the third round of the Women’s British Open at Berkshire, England. Shin has won the most prize money among female Korean golfers this year.

She trailed leader Yuri Fudoh (13 under) by one shot. Fudoh earned the most prize money in Japan between 2000 and 2005.

Ai Miyazato of Japan is in third at 11 under.

Major dailies ran features on the players from Korea and Japan occupying top spots on the leaderboard.

On the possibility of her first major title and the second straight major by a Korean woman, Shin said, “This venue feels a lot familiar. Like in Korea, it has many hills.”

Nicknamed “Pak Se-ri’s kid,” she tied for the lead by birdying the ninth and 10th holes, but bogeyed the 18th. Her tee shot landed on the rough, and her second shot fell over the green to the fence, ending in a drop without a penalty. She then missed from 4.5 meters out.

Fudoh and Miyazato are aiming for Japan’s first major female golf title in 31 years. Hisako Higuchi won the country’s last LPGA title in 1977.

Kim Mi-hyun of Korea was at five-under to get to sixth with a score of nine-under 207, tied with fellow Korean Ju Eun-hee, Yani Tseng of Taiwan and Natalie Gulbis of the United States.

Defending champion Lorena Ochoa of Mexico got off to a good start, but lost one stroke to strong winds. She was tied for 10th with Choi Na-yeon of Korea.

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