NORTON, Mass. — Ruoning Yin chipped in for birdie from just off the 18th green to take the third-round lead Saturday at TPC Boston in the FM Championship.
Yin also holed a 20-foot putt for birdie on the par-3 16th in a 4-under 68. At 12-under 204, the Chinese star had a one-stroke lead over South Korean players Sei Young Kim and Hyo Joo Kim.
“I think my swing is in a good spot, my putting and every part of my game I think are pretty good,” Yin said. “I’m just going to play my game. I’m not going to play safe when it’s time to go aggressive.”
Yin has five LPGA Tour victories. winning twice in 2023 and three times in 2024.
“I think just play my game,” Yin said. “I knew today was going to be tough and tomorrow is going to be tougher, so just be patient and play my game.”
Sei Young Kim, the first-round leader after a 64, rebounded from a second-round 74 with a 67.
“A little more emotional today,” she said. “It kind of helps today, like positive way.”
Hyo Joo Kim had a 70. She has two victories this season, the Founders Cup and Ford Championship.
“I just want to make sure I’m doing a good job tomorrow,” she said through a translator..
Somi Lee (70) and Jenny Bae (72) were tied for fourth at 8 under.
Miyu Yamashita, the Japanese player tied for the second-round lead, dropped six strokes back with a 75. Sunday in Canada, she tied the tour’s 72-hole scoring record in a nine-stroke victory.
Top-ranked Nelly Korda was tied for 49th after her third straight 72 in the final event before the Solheim Cup matches in the Netherlands.
European captain Anna Nordqvist was 1 over after a 73 in her final event on the LPGA Tour.
Canada’s Anna Huang, 17, shot a 4-over 76 to fall into a tie for 43rd at 1-under for the tournament. The Vancouver native had entered the day just four shots back of the lead.
Huang got a spot in this tournament after finishing in a tie for fourth last week at the LPGA’s CPKC Women’s Open in Edmonton. Top-10 finishers in LPGA events get spots in the next event if they are not tour members.
Huang got an exemption into Canada’s lone LPGA stop after continuing to excel on the Ladies European Tour this year, where she has four career wins in two seasons.
She opted to turn pro last year instead of taking the college route.
–with files from Sportsnet staff