In-Kyung Kim shot a six under par 66 to build a one stroke lead heading into the final round of the AIB Ladies Irish Open.
The 22-year-old South Korean, who won the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters on the Ladies European Tour in December, carded eight birdies and two bogeys in her second tournament round at Killeen Castle, County Meath and finished on a 135, nine-under-par total.
The two-time LPGA Tour winner was out in 33 and back in the same number. ‘I played very good and started with a birdie,’ said the World No.10, who tied for third at last week’s Ricoh Women’s British Open.
‘I had some missed saves, like number two, the par five, but overall I played very good and hit a lot of good shots.’
When asked about her first impressions of Ireland, she said: ‘The weather! In one round you can get four seasons in the day: rain, wind, everything, sunshine. It’s been quite an experience but I’m enjoying it very much.’
Six Nordic players were in the chasing pack, led by Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist, ranked ninth in the world, fellow Swede Linda Wessberg and Norway’s Marianne Skarpnord, all on eight under.
Nordqvist, the 2009 Ryder Cup Wales Rookie of the Year on the Ladies European Tour who won the LPGA Championship last year, shot 67 in a round that included six birdies and one bogey.
Wessberg, a three-time winner on the Ladies European Tour, had seven birdies in a 66, while Skarpnord, twice a winner on the LET last year, was out in 36 and scored an inward total of 30, with six birdies on the back nine.
Pernilla Lindberg is the fourth Swede on the leader board in fifth place on seven under par after a bogey-free 66.
Three-time Irish Open champion Sophie Gustafson and overnight leader Maria Hjorth complete the Nordic sextuplet in a share of sixth place, three shots behind the leader.
Rebecca Coakley continued to lead the Irish challenge after a round of 72 left her at one under par in a share of 20th position. All three Irish amateurs made the cut, with 15-year-old Leona Maguire at level par after a 72, her twin sister Lisa on two under par after a 74 and Danielle McVeigh a stroke behind after a 73.
Martina Gillen, Hazel Kavanagh, Tara Delaney and Claire Coughlan-Ryan missed the cut.
