Team Ireland golfers Stephanie Meadow and Leona Maguire finished eight and 10 shots respectively off leader Nelly Korda after their third rounds at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Saitama.
The risk of the tournament being cut to 54 holes has dissipated and the fourth round will tee off early to avoid the bad weather later on Saturday, meaning Meadow at least has a chance to put herself in the medal mix.
Meadow is currently three shots off four players tied at -10 in the bronze medal position.
While Meadow eventually finished two shots better than her compatriot, it will be her playing partner who will feel like she blew a real shot at a medal place.
Maguire was left to rue a costly triple bogey on the ninth hole.
The Cavan woman started the day on four under but birdied four of the opening eight holes to move to eight under par, just one shot off the then bronze medal score.
However, her run came to a shuddering halt with a seven on the par-four ninth.
A subsequent bogey on 12 and a birdie on 17 saw Maguire sign for a 70
Meadow had two bogeys and two birdies on the front nine but picked up three more shots on the back nine to finish on seven under par after a fine 68.
Cavan golfer Maguire, speaking to RTÉ Sport after her round, was ruing what might have been after that triple bogey.
"I got really unlucky, didn't feel like I hit the worst drive, hit what I thought was a decent second shot but clipped the tree and then it snowballed from there," she said.
"It's frustrating because I felt I couldn't have got off to a better start and was gaining ground on the leaders, then threw it away on one hole.
"I tried to get it back on track but didn't drive the ball particularly well today. I didn't give myself as many chances as I would have liked coming in.
"Unfortunately nine just sort of killed my momentum and I didn't really get it back."
Meadow was understandably more upbeat and looking forward to Saturday's final round and the chance to put herself in medal contention.
"Another great finish, that seems to be the trend this week," she told RTÉ Sport after back-to-back birdies at 17 and 18. She has played the last six holes in nine-under thus far, with no bogeys in the final third of the course in any of her three rounds.
"From where I started on the back nine I'm happy to finish with a 68, actually I hit it the best I've hit it all week today. Didn't make a whole lot of putts but gave myself a lot of opportunities, so hopefully I can tie both together tomorrow," she said.
"I think I'm just focussed on shooting something really low tomorrow and posting a number and see what happens. It's going to be tight – probably play-offs – but I'll give it my all and hopefully make the country proud."
Korda shot her highest score of the week thus far, still a creditable two-under 69 to move to -15, with a double bogey on eight costing the American after three birdies in the opening six holes. She came home with 10 pars after that to lead by three from India's Aditi Ashok.
There are four players tied on -10, the bronze medal score at present – New Zealand's Lydia Ko, Australia's Hannah Green, Emily Kristine Pedersen of Denmark and home favourite Mone Imani.
