Lydia Ko has moved into the top 10 at the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship on the LPGA Tour, but will need a special final round to claim victory.
Ko carded a three-under 69 in her third round, starting slowly with two birdies and two bogies on the front ninebefore coming home with three birdies, to move into a share of ninth at eight-under par.
However, she is now five shots off the lead held by Sei Young Kim, meaning Ko will need something similar to her stunning second round – a seven-under 65 – in order to make a run at the title.
Kim is in position to defend her title, take player of the year honors, win the money title and possibly even move to No 1 in the world.
Kim took a one-stroke lead over top-ranked Jin Young Ko into the final round of the season, shooting a five-under 67 in warmer conditions at Tiburon Golf Club to reach 13-under.
"Really good chance to chase everything," Kim said.
For Kim to take the No 1 spot in the world from Jin Young Ko, she would have to win and have Ko finish solo 10th or worse. Ko has held the top spot for 73 weeks in a row.
Georgia Hall was third at 10-under after a 68, while Lexi Thompson (71), Brooke Henderson (66), Charley Hull (66), Minjee Lee (66) and Austin Ernst (69) were at nine-under.
Kim is tied for the tour victory lead with Danielle Kang with two, winning the Women's PGA Championship and Pelican Women's Championship in consecutive starts in October and November. The South Korean star played a 12-hole stretch from the second hole to the 13th in six-under, then dropped a stroke on the par-four 18th.
Coming off a second-place tie last week in Houston in the US Women's Open, Jin Young Ko has a chance to win the money title in only four events. The US$1.1 million winner's prize is the richest in women's golf.
