Former champ Minjee Lee in three-way tie for US Women's Open lead as Saso slips to fifth

LANCASTER, United States -- Former champion Minjee Lee fired a four-under par 66 to join a three-way tie for the US Women's Open lead on Saturday (Sunday, Manila time,) alongside Andrea Lee and overnight leader Wichanee Meechai.

This, as Yuka Saso, who won this championship when she played for the Philippines in 2021, carded a 69 and was a further stroke back on 208.

Australia's Lee, who won her second major title at the 2022 US Open at Pine Needles, matched the best round of the week at Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania, firing an eagle, three birdies and a bogey to join the top trio on five-under par 205.

Thailand's Wichanee, who has never posted a top-10 finish at a major nor won an LPGA title, held her nerve as the tension ratcheted up on the back nine, finishing with three birdies and two bogeys on 69 -- her third straight round in the 60s.

Andrea Lee, a former amateur standout from California, had five birdies and two bogeys in her 67 to put herself in prime position to strike for a first major title on Sunday.

The leading trio were two strokes in front of Japan's Hinako Shibuno, who had seven birdies in her 66 for 207.

Minjee Lee, who started the round thee shots off Wichanee's lead, jump-started her round with an eagle at the seventh, where her approach from the fairway took an "amazing kick" off the raised edge of the green and left her less than two feet from the pin.

"I thought the golf course was set up really well for moving day, round three," the Aussie said. "There was a lot of opportunities for birdie out there."

Back-to-back birdies at 11 and 12 -- with putts of two and four feet -- saw her tied for first at five-under.

After a bogey at the 14th, Lee drained a 17-foot birdie at the 16th to regain a share of the lead.

"It didn't feel super-simple, but I just tried to stick to my game plan, tried to make birdies, just stayed in the moment," she said.

Only five players were under par for the tournament through 54 holes as low scores remained tough to come by after a brutal first two days saw world number one Nelly Korda headlining a list of big names to miss the cut.

Wichanee said she enjoyed the big galleries following the last group, but