Park catches Kim, leads by 2

Inbee Park of South Korea tees off at the second hole during the third round of the KPMG Women's PGA golf championship at Westchester Country Club on Saturday, June 13, 2015, in Harrison, N.Y.
Inbee Park of South Korea tees off at the second hole during the third round of the KPMG Women's PGA golf championship at Westchester Country Club on Saturday, June 13, 2015, in Harrison, N.Y.

HARRISON, N.Y. -- South Korean stars Inbee Park and Sei Yong Kim added another chapter to their friendly rivalry on Saturday.

Park shot a 7-under 66 and overtook Kim on the final hole to take a two-stroke lead heading into today's final round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship.

Kim, a rookie who came into the day with a one-stroke lead, shot a 69. The two had battled all afternoon and each went into the final hole at 13-under. Park, who needed just 28 putts Saturday, made her seventh birdie of the day on 18, and Kim missed her 4-foot putt for par.

Park, 26, said her experience in winning this tournament each of the last two years may give her a bit of an advantage today. Kim, 22, has won twice this season, but will be looking for her first major championship today.

"It feels like the first time is always hard, always hard to do and it puts extra pressure on yourself," Park said. "But when you're trying to do the second, third time in a row, it just feels like you've done your homework already. So you feel a little bit more relaxed and you kind of know how it feels like and how it's going to play like."

Kim said she plans to use the bogey on the 18th as "medicine" today to help her get better.

She also has a recent history that should give her some confidence. Kim beat Park at the Lotte Open in Hawaii by chipping in to force a playoff and holing out from 154 yards on the first sudden-death hole.

"Well, that's a past story," Kim said. "I want to write a new story tomorrow."

A victory could allow Park to catch top-ranked Lydia Ko in the rankings. Ko missed the cut Friday, ending her streak of 53 consecutive made cuts.

Park could also tie Annika Sorenstam (2003-05), who is the only golfer who has claimed this title in three consecutive years, an accomplishment Park would list among the most impressive in her career.

"I have to say it would be pretty close to winning three majors in a row," she said. "That was my biggest accomplishment ever in my career, but if I'm able to do this tomorrow, I think that will definitely be like tied for first."

Kim and Park will go into today with some separation from the rest of the pack. Suzann Pettersen and 17-year-old Canadian Brooke Henderson each shot a 71. They ended tied with Hall of Famer Karrie Webb for third place at 8-under, six strokes back of Park.

Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) shot a 73 and is nine strokes back of the leader.

Sports on 06/14/2015

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