Australian golfer Minjee Lee has surrendered her two-stroke lead at the LPGA Tour's Lotte Championship in Hawaii.
The 19-year-old, who had been outright second-round leader, struggled to a two-over-par 74 on Friday to fall back to eight under and a share of sixth place after the third round, while world No.1 Lydia Ko - coming off consecutive victories in California - was in a tie for 32nd at two under after shooting a 71.
Katie Burnett, trailing Lee by two strokes at the halfway mark, chipped in for birdie from 75 feet on the par-4 18th on Friday for a five-under 67 and a one-shot overall lead.
Winless in 59 career starts on the LPGA Tour, the 26-year-old Georgia player had her second straight bogey-free round to take a 13-under 203 total into the final round.
"I'm from the coast so I'm used to the wind," Burnett said. "I've been home for two weeks and it was really windy at home, so I have pretty much been working on a pinch shot or three-quarter shot so it doesn't get so affected by the wind - been doing that with my driver."
Burnett's only top-10 finish on tour came in 2014 in Hawaii where she tied for ninth.
"I've had some success here," said Burnett, ranked 195th in the world. "I really like the golf course. I think it sets up really well for my game.
"It was a solid (third) round. I just tried to stay patient. I had a few opportunities early that I kind of like let slip by. I just really focused on the back nine, just staying with my process and being patient and knowing that eventually I would make a few birdies," Burnett said.
South Korean Su-Yeon Jang was second after a 67 in calmer conditions after the brisk tradewinds dropped dramatically. The 21-year-old won last week in the Korean LPGA.
US Women's Open champion In Gee Chun and Moriya Jutanugarn were 10 under. Chun had a 65 and Jutanugarn shot 68. Defending champion Sei Young Kim was another shot back after her third straight 69.
Jang, an eight-time winner on the Korean LPGA and making her first start in the US, birdied the final four holes on the front nine.
Chun is making her second start after sitting out a month because of a back injury. She was hurt when she was struck by a hard-case suitcase that rival South Korean player Ha Na Jang's father dropped down an escalator at Singapore airport.
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