Lydia Ko and Eun-Hee Ji have both carded rounds of five-under 66 to share the lead at 13 under after the third round of the LPGA's Tournament of Champions.
Former world No.1 Ko shot 30 on the front nine in a bogey-free round at Tranquilo Golf Club while Korean Ji had a string of four-straight birdies from the second hole before her only bogey on the sixth.
However, Ko could only think about the putts that didn't go in, perhaps because she was used to making so many.
"I felt like there were a few putts that I thought I holed and it didn't go in," she said after she closed Saturday's round with seven pars.
"But I holed a really long one on 8 - that one, I probably didn't deserve - so everything balances out.
"It felt like I gave myself quite a few good looks and just wasn't able to hole in.
"But at the end of the day, all I can do is put a good roll on it and just give myself good opportunities out there."
Now she has an opportunity to start 2019 with a victory, something that took her until April to do last year as she began to emerge from a slump.
Second-round leader Brooke Henderson of Canada was poised to make it a three-way tie at the top until she made bogey on the par-3 closing hole for a 69 to be at 12 under.
Nelly Korda had an eagle and four birdies for a 65 and is a shot further back at 11 under.
The LPGA Tour season opener is limited to winners during each of the past two seasons with the only Australian in the 26-player field, Katherine Kirk, 16 shots off the pace at three over after an even par 72 in the third round.
Stacy Lewis, in her first tournament as a mother, bounced back from a 74 to post a 66 and sit at seven under.
Ariya Jutanugarn, the No.1 player in the world who swept all the major awards last year, failed to make a birdie in her round of 75 to fall nine shots off the leaders.
