Australians Grace Kim, Hannah Green atop LA Championship leaderboard

LOS ANGELES: After two days of shooting the best round of the day, Grace Kim blew up with a 5-over-par 76 but managed to share the lead at the JM Eagle LA Championship on Saturday in Los Angeles.

Kim had a four-stroke lead going into the third round was caught at 7-under 206 by defending champion and fellow Australian Hannah Green, who carded a 1-under 70. “When Gracie (Kim) was 12-under par after two rounds, I didn’t think anyone would really get to that number,” Green said. “Even now, I think we’re all at 7-under, and I’m kind of not surprised.

“I felt like earlier in the week the greens were firmer and usually we had a little bit softer conditions,” Green continued. “I like that’s if you’re 1-under par, you’re having a good day.” South Korean rookie Jin Hee Im shot the best round Saturday with an 8-under 63 -- the new tournament course record at Wilshire Country Club. She is tied for third at 6 under with Germany’s Esther Henseleit (71 on Saturday) and Sweden’s Maja Stark (73).

Im had matching rounds of 1-over 72 before Saturday’s 63, when she had six birdies on the back nine and nine total along with a bogey at No. 6. She hit 16 of 18 greens in regulation. “So, first two days I start really bad,” Im said. “First day, bogey, double bogey start. Yesterday, double start. ... But today I start good and played good.

“I thought the (setup on the back nine) was a little easier than before, so I had a lot of chance to play with my short irons; it works.” Japan’s Nasa Hataoka (64) is alone in sixth at 5 under after a bogey at the par-3 18th hole. Kim carded rounds of 64 (tying the then-scoring record) on Thursday and 66 on Friday, but her effort Saturday included no birdies or better. She made bogeys at Nos. 2, 10 and 16, and a double bogey at the par-3 No. 4.