Yuka Saso made a big leap on moving day, firing a seven-under-par 65 to barge into the Top 20 in the BMW Ladies Championship at the Oak Valley Country Club in South Korea Saturday.
The 20-year-old Filipino-Japanese, who shot 1-under in the first 36 holes, rolled in seven birdies to reach 8-under 143 and a share of 13th place.
She missed only two fairways and three greens.
Saso, however, remains seven shots behind world No. 2 Atthaya Thitikul who charged with a 67 fueled by four late birdies.
The Thai rookie sensation had six birdies and one bogey on the par-72, 6,661-yard course in Wonju, about 85 kilometers east of Seoul.
Thitikul will be going for her third title this season, with two players of Korean descent, Lydia Ko of New Zealand and Andrea Lee of the United States, one stroke back.
With a victory Sunday, Thitikul will overtake South Korean Ko Jin-young as the new No. 1.
Thitikul emerged from the pack with three consecutive birdies, starting at the 13th.
The last of those three, at the par-five 15th, drew Thitikul level with Lee at 14-under. Thitikul birdied 17 to take sole possession of the lead at 15-under.
Lee, the overnight leader, made the turn nursing a one-stroke lead at 13-under. But she settled for a par at 15 and bogeyed 16 to fall behind.
Lee carded a 70 in the third round after five birdies and three bogeys.
Ko, the Korean-born Kiwi, charged up the leaderboard with four birdies on the front nine, before birdies on 15 and 18 took her to six-under for the day and 14-under for the tournament.
Lilia Vu of the United States sits alone in fourth at 13-under, with a pair of South Koreans, Kim Hyo-joo and Choi Hye-jin, another stroke back at 12-under. Both players shot 66s Saturday.
