Thailand's Pornanong Phatlum fired a bogey-free five-under par 67 on Saturday to seize a share of the LPGA Titleholders third-round lead alongside Natalie Gulbis and Gerina Piller.
Gulbis shook off a watery bogey at the par-five first hole at Tiburon Golf Club and carded eight birdies in a seven-under 65.
Piller, like Pornanong, notched five birdies in her five-under 67 to join the leading trio on 11-under par 205.
They were two strokes in front of a group of four players on 207 that included overnight leader Sandra Gal of Germany, China's Feng Shanshan and Americans Stacy lewis and Lexi Thompson.
Lewis, the world No.3 who is chasing the Vare Trophy for low-scoring average as the LPGA season concludes with this elite event, climbed up the leaderboard with a tournament record 63.
Lewis jump-started her round with an eagle at the par-four third, and her eight birdies included six in the span of seven holes on the back nine.
Feng had six birdies in a five-under 67 while Thompson had five birdies and no bogeys in her five-under effort.
Gal, the leader after each of the first two rounds, struggled to a two-over 74.
Her double-bogey six at the par-four second was followed by a bogey at the fourth and a birdie at the seventh, and the German parred her way in from there.
American Michelle Wie carded a 66 and was alone on 208, one stroke in front of a group that included world No.1 Park In-Bee of South Korea.
Karrie Webb carded a three-under 69 to be on 212 for the event, tied 20th.
New Zealand teenager Lydia Ko, playing her first tournament as a professional after four wins in pro events as an amateur, carded an even par 72 and was in a group on 214, nine shots off the pace.
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