Reto moves at ANA Inspiration

South Africa’s Paula Reto fired a two-under-par 70 at the Dinah Shore Course at Mission Hills Country Club to break into the top 40 in the ANA Inspiration on Saturday, but compatriot Lee-Anne Pace had another tough day at the office and slipped to joint 70^th in the season’s first Major.

Reto started moving day in a tie for 48^th after earlier rounds of 74 and 73 just saw her make the weekend.

She followed a birdie-bogey combo at the second and third with five pars and notched a birdie at the ninth to turn in one under.

The second-season LPGA Tour player birdied the 12^th, dropped at the 16^th, but signed off with a birdie at the par-five 18^th to vault to a tie for 36^th on one-over-par 217.

Pace, meanwhile, completed the front nine with nine straight pars, but bogeys at the 11^th, 14^th, 15^th and 18^th saw her sign for a 76 that dropped the LPGA champion to six over 222.

LPGA Tour rookie Sei Young Kim birdied two of her last three holes on Saturday en route to a 69.

The Korean moved to 10 under 206 and leads by three from American Stacy Lewis, who returned a four under 68.

Fellow rookie Ariya Jutanugarn and past champions Brittany Lincicome and Morgan Pressel are the bus at six under 210.

Kim’s earliest golf memories are of watching this major championship from Korea when Grace Park jumped into Poppie’s Pond.

“If I were to win it tomorrow, it would be the biggest dream ever to come true for me,” Kim said.

“You know, just because, I’ve watched this tournament since I was young. That’s why I feel I want it so much more, and I think the opportunity is there in front of me, and if I can, I definitely want to get my hand on it, and for sure it won’t be bad jumping into that pond tomorrow.”

THIRD ROUND LEADERBOARD (Top 10 and RSA)
206 Sei Young Kim KOR 72-65-69
209 Stacy Lewis USA 72-69-68
210 Ariya Jutanugarn THA 71-73-66; Brittany Lincicome USA 72-68-70; Morgan Pressel     USA 67-72-71
211 Shanshan Feng CHI 71-70-70; Moriya Jutanugarn THA 71-70-70; Jenny Shin KOR 71-69-71; Anna Nordqvist    SWE 71-72-69; Pat Hurst USA; Mi Hyang Lee KOR 74-68-70; So Yeon Ryu KOR 69-72-71
212 Lexi Thompson USA 72-69-71
217 Paula Reto RSA 74-73-70
222 Lee-Anne Pace RSA 77-69-76

PHOTO – Paula Reto; credit Justin Klusener