Nelly Korda stormed into a three-shot lead at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in her push for a first title in over a year as England's halfway leader Lottie Woad saw her hopes of victory fade after a day of bogeys in blustery Florida.
World No 2 Korda has not picked up a trophy since The Annika in November 2024, when she finished three strokes clear of a group including Charley Hull to claim her seventh triumph of a glittering calendar year that included a second major title of her career.
The American cantered to 13 under par in the LPGA Tour event at Lake Nona after an eight-under 64 on a chilly Saturday, registering seven birdies and an eagle ahead of a sole blemish at 17, before telling reporters the taxing conditions left her in "survival mode".
Korda was three strokes behind co-leaders Woad and 2024 Olympic gold medallist Lydia Ko after 36 holes, but breezed past those two, who were still on the course when play was suspended due to winds.
Woad shot three over through 16 holes in a round that has included five bogeys, including four in five holes on the front nine, and the 22-year-old is now eight shots adrift.
Ko, who notched a bogey and double bogey on her back nine, is at even par after 15 and eight under for the event, five off Korda.
Woad - who secured two Ladies European Tour titles last July when victory at the Irish Open was swiftly followed by success at the Scottish Open weeks later - suffered blemishes at three, four, five and seven after an opening birdie had seen her rise to nine under.
She collected six pars on the trot before another bogey at 14 was followed by a birdie at 15 and par at 16 prior to the stoppage.
Korda began birdie-birdie-eagle before snapping a run of four consecutive pars with back-to-back gains at eight and nine as she went out in a six-under 30.
The 27-year-old continued to prosper after the turn with birdies at 12, 14 and 15 before finishing par-bogey-par, leaving her three clear of South Korea's Amy Yang, who is at 10 under with two holes remaining in her third round.
Korda said, looking ahead to the final day: "I think the most important thing is just being super present.
"For me, I have won so many different ways. I've always made it very interesting coming down the stretch, unfortunately,
"That has made me a bit tougher mentally - I don't mind chasing and I don't mind being in the lead. I love just being in contention."
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