Konica Minolta Cup Saturday: Shin v. Shin Seoul Sisters Showdown

Playing together today in the 3rd round of the JLPGA's 2nd major, the Konica Minolta Cup, Hyun-Ju Shin and Ji-Yai Shin put on a clinic. The JLPGA's Shin and the KLPGA's Shin each made 6 birdies and shot 68s to jump out to -10 and -6, respectively. Only Sakura Yokomine, who shot the best round of the day, a 6-birdie 67, is really within striking distance of the lead, at -5 for the tournament. It should be a great final threesome to watch tomorrow!

Here are the top 10 and notables:

1st/-10 Hyun-Ju Shin (67-71-68)
2nd/-6 Ji-Yai Shin (72-70-68)
3rd/-5 Sakura Yokomine (73-71-67)
4th/-1 Momoko Ueda (68-78-69)
T5/E Yuko Mitsuka (72-73-71), Ji-Woo Lee (73-72-71)
7th/+1 Erina Hara (69-73-75)
T8/+2 Yuka Irie (76-73-69), Mayu Hattori (75-73-70), Ai Miyazato (74-73-71), Midori Yoneyama (72-74-72), Itsumi Okada (71-72-75), Esther Lee (70-71-76)

As you can see, most of the field is struggling to go under par just once this tournament. Only Hyun-Ju Shin and Ueda have broken 70 twice thus far this week, while the Shins are the only players to shoot par or better all 3 rounds. If they should fall to earth on Sunday, great rounds from Miyazato, Hara, Mitsuka, and Ueda can still launch them into contention. If any of them can post an early number, it would put even more pressure on the final threesome.

T14/+3 Mi-Jeong Jeon (74-75-70), Akane Iijima (75-72-72)
T21/+4 Miho Koga (73-75-72), Maiko Wakabayashi (73-75-72), Ayako Uehara (77-70-73), Hiroko Yamaguchi (70-74-76)
T25/+5 Kaori Higo (74-76-71), Tamie Durdin (73-73-75), Nikki Campbell (73-72-76)
T28/+6 Chie Arimura (72-76-74)
T32/+7 Hiromi Mogi (71-75-77)
T36/+8 Ritsuko Ryu (78-71-75), Rui Kitada (73-73-78)
T41/+9 Akiko Fukushima (78-74-73)
T46/+10 Bo-Bae Song (77-72-77)
T54/+11 Yuri Fudoh (76-75-76), Yun-Jye Wei (74-77-76)

Everyone else is just playing for position and pride. With Ji-Hee Lee sitting this one out and Fukushima struggling, it's a great opportunity for the top-ranked Jeon 4th-ranked Koga to make up some serious ground on the other JLPGA money leaders.