Ina Yoon kept her chances of winning alive at her first major of the season with steady play. Although she fell further behind the leader, she still has a shot to move up the leaderboard in the final round.
Yoon carded a 1-under 71 in the third round of The Chevron Championship in Texas to sit at 8-under for the tournament, alone in fifth. She dropped slightly from a share of third on Friday but has now been inside the top five for three consecutive rounds.
She got off to a strong start, birdieing the first hole and following with a string of early birdies that quickly trimmed her score. Aggressive iron play and confident putting gave the impression she might mount a serious charge toward the leaders.
Her momentum, however, cooled in the middle of the round. She failed to convert several birdie chances and compounded that with a couple of unforced bogeys, which kept her from making a bigger move. Her ball-striking was solid overall, but she left strokes out there by taking too many putts on some holes.
Still, the takeaway from this week is positive. Yoon, who’s been trending upward over recent events, showed she can compete on a major stage. Compared with last year’s struggles adapting to the U.S. circuit, her course management, handling of adversity and confidence all look noticeably more mature.
Nelly Korda holds a firm lead. The gap is sizable, but the final round can flip the leaderboard at any time. Yoon signaled she’s confident in the chase and intends to be more aggressive.
Finishing inside the top five at her first major is meaningful, yet Yoon is aiming higher. One round remains — and the course is set for her strongest swings.
Photos: Getty Images / AFP / Yonhap News Agency
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