Anna Foster was unable to match a blistering second round and will head into the final day of the Ford Women's NSW Open a dozen shots adrift of leader Mimi Rhodes.
A second round 67 shot the Irish golfer up the standings, but failed to match that form on Saturday.
A round bookended by bogeys – the second and 18th – also saw a double bogey at the par-4 7th. The Dubliner picked up four birdies for a round of 71 to enter the final round at Wollogong Golf Club in a tie for 34th on three-under-par.
Annabel Wilson (74) and Lauren Walsh (72) are among a group of five players on one-over-par.
The player to catch in New South Wales is Rhodes after the rookie carded a bogey-free 68 on Saturday to move to 15-under par.
The English player holds a one-shot lead over Italian Alassandra Fanali.
Rhodes made par on each of her first eight holes, and after several near misses in this spell, the Curtis Cup winner capitalised on her consistent ball-striking posting a birdie at the par-5 9th.
Three pars followed before Rhodes rolled in another birdie at the reachable par-5 13th after a great wedge shot in.
Another shot was picked up at 16 as the prolific amateur chases a maiden victory on the Ladies European Tour (LET) in only her fourth event as a full member.
"I would say the pressure is pretty similar [to big amateur events]," she said afterwards. "There’s so many good players and you never know who might come out and shoot a low score.
"I’ve learned how to deal with it and I know how to have fun. I’m just going to try and do that tomorrow."
