Michelle Wie began the third round of the U.S. Women’s Open with a three-shot lead over Lexi Thompson. She ended the day still at the top of the leaderboard, but tied with Amy Yang.
Wie posted a two-over-par 72 to finish at two-under-par for 54 holes, but Amy Yang fired a two-under-par 68 to catch her.
Wie started her day with a bogey at the first hole, but birdies at Nos. 3, 9 and 10 opened up a four-shot lead at six-under-par for the tournament. Then her problems began with a double-bogey at No. 11 and bogeys at Nos. 12 and 14.
Yang made six birdies in the third round, but also added four bogeys. Yang is 24 years old from South Korea. She joined the LPGA Tour in 2008 and has one career win.
Pinehurst’s firm slick greens continued to be a problem for the women as approach shots careened off the beveled edges of the bowl-shaped greens.
Many recovery shots from the run-off areas were left short and came right back to the original spot or were struck to firm and ran off the other side of the green.
Juli Inkster playing in her 35th U.S. Women’s Open fired the best round of the day. Her four-under-par 66 moved her up 25 spots on the leaderboard into a tie for third place with Na Yeon Choi and amateurs Stephanie Meadow and Minjee Lee at two-over-par.
Lexi Thompson began the day three shots behind Wie, but fell to T-7 with a four-over-par 74. She is tied with former U.S. Women’s Open champions Karrie Webb and So Yeon Ryu, as well as, Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum and Sakura Yokomine from Japan.
World No. 1 ranked, Stacy Lewis, who led after the first round with a three-under-par 67, posted a four-over-par 74 and is T-12 with Chella Choi and Paula Creamer at four-over-par.
World No. 2 Inbee Park posted her third consecutive round over par and is T-37 at 10-over-par.
Wie is trying to capture her second win of the season and her first major title.
Disaster can strike at any moment on the difficult Pinehurst #2. Any player within five shots of the lead still has a chance to hoist the big trophy on Sunday evening.