By Newspot Nigeria Sports Desk
World No. 1 Nelly Korda and South Korea’s Sei Young Kim will enter the final round of the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open tied for the lead after impressive third-round performances at Riviera Country Club in California.
Korda carded a four-under-par 67 to climb to six-under overall, matching Kim, who posted a three-under round to reach the same score. The pair hold a one-shot advantage heading into Sunday’s decisive final round of the championship.
South Korea’s In Gee Chun and American Jennifer Kupcho remain firmly in contention at five-under-par, while Japan’s Nasa Hataoka, Mexico’s Gaby López and China’s Ruoning Yin are tied for fifth at four-under.
Top 10 Leaderboard After Round Three
Position Player Score
T1 Nelly Korda (USA) -6
T1 Sei Young Kim (KOR) -6
T3 In Gee Chun (KOR) -5
T3 Jennifer Kupcho (USA) -5
T5 Nasa Hataoka (JPN) -4
T5 Gaby López (MEX) -4
T5 Ruoning Yin (CHN) -4
T8 Alison Lee (USA) -3
T8 Hyo Joo You (KOR) -3
T8 Charley Hull (ENG) -3
Several other players remain within striking distance, including Maja Stark, Maria José Marín, Allisen Corpuz, Asterisk Talley, A Lim Kim and others, setting up what promises to be a highly competitive final day.
One of the notable stories of the third round was the slide of Japan’s Hinako Shibuno. After beginning the day among the contenders, Shibuno carded a three-over round to fall back to even par and a tie for 18th place. Fellow Japanese player Shoko Kamiya also slipped to even par.
The championship has already produced several major talking points beyond the leaderboard. Lexi Thompson’s absence remains one of the most discussed stories of the week after the former major champion failed to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Open for the first time in nearly two decades, ending a streak of 19 consecutive appearances.
Former champion Michelle Wie West also drew attention after missing the cut in what is widely expected to be the final competitive appearance of her career. The 2014 U.S. Women’s Open winner received widespread praise from fellow players and fans for her contributions to women’s golf.
Korda, meanwhile, is seeking her second major title of the season and further validation of her status as the world’s top-ranked player. Kim is chasing her first major championship since capturing the 2020 PGA Championship, while Kupcho and Chun are both looking to add another major trophy to their résumés.
With only one round remaining and just three shots separating the leaders from the players tied for eighth, the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open appears set for a dramatic finish at Riviera Country Club.
— Newspot Nigeria
