Stephanie Meadow lost ground on leader Jodi Ewart Shadoff at the LPGA Mediheal Championship in California, but a late flurry saw the Antrim woman maintain her place in the top 10.
A third round 71 sees the 30-year-old in a tie for ninth on seven under par, with Ewart Shadoff looking well placed for a maiden LPGA Tour title on 14 under.
Meadow bogeyed two of her first three holes to drop down the standings before reeling off 10 successive pars.
The 30-year-old picked up a shot at the 14th, and picked up further birdies in the final two holes at the Saticoy Club.
Any feint hopes of victory have all but evaporated, but Meadow will have second-placed Paula Reto in her sights. The South African sits on seven under, three shots clear of Meadow.
Ewart Shadoff continued her fine form at the tournament and her bid for a wire-to-wire victory, with three birdies in a bogey-free 69 to exert further control at the top of the leaderboard.
The English woman will take a four-shot lead over Reto going into the final round.
"Overall I feel really comfortable with how I'm hitting the ball," Ewart Shadoff said of her penultimate round.
"I hit my driver really well again today. I hit a lot of greens again and I think my speed putting was really good."
