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Kim produced a putting masterclass in a third-round six-under-par 66 that helped the silky Sydneysider gap the field entering the final round at Belmont’s Blythefield Country Club in Michigan.
There were no signs of the weekend nerves of two months ago, when Kim unravelled after storming to a four-shot halfway lead at the JM Eagle L.A Championship.
The 23-year-old totally collapsed to finish in a tie for 25th behind triumphant fellow Australian Hannah Green.
It was a different player on Saturday as Kim drained a series of long birdie putts to parlay her halfway share of the lead into another golden opportunity to add to the LOTTE Championship title she won in Hawaii last year.
Despite sharing the lead with American Ally Ewing at 11-under, Kim had chalked up five three putts over the first two rounds.
There were no such mishaps in the third round as Kim roared to life after four straight pars with a hat-trick of birdies from the 5th hole to establish a two-shot buffer over the large chasing pack.
She briefly had her momentum halted with a bogey on the relatively easy par-5 10th but quickly regrouped with further birdies on 13, 14, 16 and 18 to end the day with the LPGA Tour’s biggest third-round lead of the year.
Ewing remains one of Kim’s closest pursuers but faltered on the back nine to fall into a five-way tie for second following her third-round 71.
Retiring American star Lexi Thompson and Swede Anna Nordqvist enjoyed the rounds of the day, seven-under 65s, to join Ewing at 12 under.
Fellow American Allisen Korpuz is also at 12 under following a third successive 68, as is Korea’s Narin An (69).
Australian rookie-of-the-year leader Gabi Ruffels climbed into a share of 24th at seven under with a third-round 68.
– Darren Walton
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