Park on course to seal hat-trick at Women’s PGA Championship

Two-time reigning champion Park In-Bee will take a two-shot lead into the final round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship after shooting a seven-under-par 66 in New York on Saturday.

Park, who triumphed by play-off in 2013 and 2014, leads her compatriot and overnight leader Kim Sei-young following a stellar round of golf which included seven birdies and no bogeys.

Five-time major winner Park, who would replace Lydia Ko as world number one with victory at the Westchester Country Club on Sunday, approached the 18th hole level on 13 under par with Kim but took an outright lead when she birdied the par-five hole and her opponent could only bogey.

Kim birdied the first two holes and four others but a couple of bogeys — including at the decisive final hole — checked her progress and she signed for a four-under-par 69.

Park is bidding to become only the second player after Sweden's Annika Sorenstam to win the tournament three times in a row.

Australian Karrie Webb, Norway's Suzann Pettersen and Brooke Henderson of Canada are tied for third some six shots off the pace.

Pettersen and Henderson signed for two-under-par 71s, while Webb could only manage a 72 after she started her round with back-to-back bogeys.