Overview
- Hyo Joo Kim shot her second 11‑under 61 of the week in the third round to reach 25 under, setting the LPGA’s 54‑hole scoring record and taking a four‑stroke lead at Whirlwind Golf Club.
- Nelly Korda, who led at halfway with rounds of 63 and 65, posted a bogey‑free 67 and now trails Kim by four in second place.
- Lydia Ko opened Thursday with a career‑low 60 that came within a missed short putt of a 59, then added 71 and 69 to fall nine shots back in a large tie for third.
- Ko said a rare midweek switch to a Scotty Cameron Phantom X 12 putter helped spark her round of 60, a high‑MOI mallet that keeps the face steadier for straighter rolls.
- The LPGA faced blowback for offering little real‑time video of Ko’s near‑59, and chief marketing officer Chad Coleman publicly agreed with the criticism and said coverage and streaming will get better.