AP - Minjee Lee's hopes of winning her second LPGA title took a big blow on Saturday when a third-round 75 at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Mexico saw her slip well down the leaderboard.
The Australian teenager was the overnight leader at six-under but couldn't match her opening two rounds of 69 as she dropped to a tie for ninth at three-under, seven shots behind leader Inbee Park.
Lee won at Kingsmill in May for her first LPGA Tour title.
Park, the world No.2, made two late birdies for a five-under 67 to open a three-stroke lead over fellow South Korean Sei Young Kim.
Park hit a 7-iron to three feet to set up a birdie on the par-3 16th, and made a six-foot birdie putt on the par-5 17th to sit at 10-under overall.
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Park is making her first start since withdrawing in China two weeks ago because of a cyst on her left middle finger. She has four victories this season, winning two of the five majors.
Kim (70) won the event two weeks ago in China for her third victory of the season and has wrapped up the tour's rookie of the year award.
South Korea's So Yeon Ryu and Spain's Carlota Ciganda were tied for third at six-under.
They each shot 69. Japan's Sakura Yokomine was another stroke back, also after a 69.
Top-ranked Lydia Ko is skipping the tournament to rest for her title defence next week in the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida.
