Leona Maguire will begin her final round at the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship as the joint leader after shooting a sensational nine-under-par 63 on Saturday.
The Cavan woman carded nine birdies without dropping a shot at the Tiburon Golf Club event to share the lead with New Zealander Lydia Ko, who began the day four shots clear of Maguire. Ko dropped shots at the second and fifth on her way to a round of 70.
It could be a shootout between the pair for the first prize of $2m tomorrow. Maguire and Ko enjoy a five-shot lead over Jeongeun Lee6 and Scotland's Gemma Dryburgh.
Maguire is chasing the largest pay-day in the history of women's golf. The first-prize cheque of $2m is $200,000 more than what the 2022 US Women's Open champion pocketed and $1.25m more than what the season’s first major, the Chevron Championship, paid its winner.
"I was just dialled in today," Maguire said after play was completed after Saturday's penultimate round.
"My caddie has been talking the last two weeks all about patience and patience and they're going to drop. Finally, they did today, which was nice."
Maguire is chasing a second title, to go with the trophy she claimed at this year's Drive On Championship, and victory in the event would ensure she passes the $4m (€3.9m) mark for career earnings.
Third-ranked Ko's 70 marked her worst round at this year's tournament after mixing four birdies with two bogeys.
The 25-year-old began the week with a one-point lead for LPGA player of the year and remains on track to also lift her second straight Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average.
Scotland's Gemma Dryburgh and Jeongeun Lee of South Korea were five strokes back from the leaders at 10 under.
Additional reporting: PA
