Brooke Henderson and Nelly Korda lead ANA Inspiration

The leaderboard at the ANA Inspiration is absolutely packed with power names and inspiring stories heading into Sunday’s final round. Young stars Brooke Henderson and Nelly Korda are tied for the lead at -12 with one round to go. Lexi Thompson, seemingly always in contention on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course, is tied for second at -10 with LPGA Tour veterans Katherine Kirk and Mirim Lee, both looking for the first major victory of their careers.

Henderson started the day six strokes off Korda’s lead but made a 15-foot eagle putt at the par-5 second to begin her charge. She added in six birdies and one bogey en route to a 7-under 65, her lowest ANA 18-hole round by two strokes.

“Being a major championship, you’ve really got to stay patient and know bogeys are going to happen,” said Henderson, a nine-time LPGA Tour winner. “The rough out there is very thick and you’re just praying it’s sitting up if you hit it in there. You just have to go with what the course gives you and just expect bogeys and try to make a lot of birdies to counter them.”

Henderson has never missed the cut in her five previous ANA Inspiration appearances but only has one top-10 to her name, a tie for 10th in 2016.

After blitzing her way around the course on Thursday and Friday, Korda came back to Earth on Saturday. A bogey at No. 5 was her first scorecard blemish since her fourth hole in Thursday’s first round. She then found the water at No. 6 en route to a double bogey, leaving the American phenom looking vulnerable and trailing for the first time since Thursday. But she bounced back with three birdies on the back nine for a 71 and put herself back into contention for her first major title.

“It was a disappointing front nine, but I was really proud of the way I fought on the back nine,” said Korda. “Never gave up and there’s still 18 more holes to be played, so much golf.”

Kirk, a 17-year LPGA Tour veteran, will join Henderson and Korda in Sunday’s final grouping. The Australian player, who has three career victories, returned an even-par 72 on Saturday and would absolutely relish the opportunity to make the famed leap into Poppie’s Pond come Sunday afternoon.

“I’ve played out here, I don’t know how many years now but certainly being a veteran, got a lot of good rounds here under my belt and good memories, and it’s going to be a nerve-wracking day,” said Kirk, whose best finish in her 12 ANA Inspiration appearances in a tie for eighth in 2009. “But I’ve just got to go out there and try and execute as best I can and try and stick to what I’ve been doing because it’s been pretty solid so far.”

Thompson’s rollercoaster round of 2-under 70 included five birdies, two bogeys and one double bogey, while Lee carded four birdies and three bogeys in her 1-under 71. They will play in Sunday’s penultimate group alongside Carlota Ciganda, who shot up the leaderboard with a 5-under 67 on Saturday.

Brooke Henderson tied a Mission Hills record with a 30 on the front nine and did just enough the rest of the round Saturday for a 7-under 65 and a share of the lead with Nelly Korda in the ANA Inspiration.

Henderson started the weekend six shots behind and wanted only to get as close to the lead as possible. Now she goes into the final round with a second major championship in her sights.

Korda began with a two-shot lead and fell three shots back with a rough stretch on the front nine, particularly the sixth hole by hitting 5-wood through the fairway into the gnarly rough and not getting over the water, leading to double bogey.

She rallied with three birdies on the back nine, however, for a 71 that allowed her to join Henderson at 12-under 204.

They have a two-shot lead over Lexi Thompson (69), Mirim Lee (71) and Katherine Kirk, who quietly went about her business with a 67 that landed the Australian in the final group.

“Sort of an easy start which was nice, and relaxed a little bit,” Henderson said. “Being moving day, I wanted to get a solid round out there and try to climb the leaderboard as much as possible. Still a lot of golf to be played, but nice to see my name up there. And hopefully, tomorrow I can post a similar round.”

It was the hottest day of the tournament, the temperature climbing just past 100 degrees late in the day, helped by a mild haze from California fires that kept the sun from burning brighter. Korda was among those with an umbrella on the back nine to fend off the sun.

Korda, the 22-year-old going for her first major, began to claw her way back with a birdie on the par-5 11th, a gap wedge to 3 feet for birdie on the 12th and a pitching wedge just over the bunker that rolled out to 5 feet for birdie on the 15th, regaining a share of the lead.

She laid up on the par-5 18th but left her wedge about 18 feet above the hole and had to settle for a par.

Thompson, four behind to start the round, got back in the game quickly with a two-shot swing on Korda on consecutive holes. Thompson holed a 35-foot birdie putt on the par-3 fifth, where Korda three-putted for bogey, and then Korda made her double bogey on the next hole. Thompson hit a short wedge to a foot to close out the back nine and appeared to be making her move.

Instead, that was the last birdie she made. Her best putt was a 15-footer for par on No. 13. She was among the few who went for the green on the 18th, sending it to the right and under the chair of a cameraman. She made a bold pitch down the hill to 5 feet and missed the birdie putt.

Ten players were separated by four shots, a group that included Carlota Ciganda at 9-under 207 and former Mission Hills winner Stacy Lewis another shot back. Both shot 67,

Also at 8-under 208 was U.S. Women’s Amateur champion Rose Zhang, who shot a 68. The 17-year-old won the Amateur last month over Gabriela Ruffels, who was at 6-under 210 in a strong showing by amateurs this week.

Henderson began her round by missing a short birdie putt, which annoyed her only up until a 3-wood on the next hole to 12 feet that led to eagle, and she was on her way. She closed out her front nine with a pitch to 2 feet for birdie and a 30, and was only disappointed she didn’t pick up more on the back nine.

No matter. She was tied for the lead, more than she would have expected when she teed off. And while the Canadian viewed this round as moving day, Sunday might not be much different with so many players still in the mix.

That includes Kirk, a 38-year-old Aussie with three LPGA victories and one runner-up in her previous 59 appearances in major championships. She opened with two quick birdies and did enough to think about what it would be like to win the ANA Inspiration and take the plunge into Popie’s Pond around the 18th green.

“It’s so stinking hot out here and it would be great to cool off,” Kirk said. “I have a lot of hard work, and there are a lot of great players on the leaderboard so I’m probably going to have to go low tomorrow and it’s going to take a really good number. But anything is possible in this game.”