Kirk clings on when Ko bursts out

Katherine Kirk and her caddy plotted a path around Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage.

It is often said that the measure of champions is how they spring back from adversity.

That already applies to the leaders of the ANA Inspiration – and the Australian Katherine Kirk will offer her own chance tomorrow.

Kirk was unable to replicate her master class she showed up during the second round, but kept in touch with a stony 74 when many of the contenders for the first major of the year dropped out

The Queenslander starts tomorrow's final at three under, only five from the leader but in a shared fifth place and close enough to fight against Rancho Mirage.

Her chances may depend on the continued form of the new leader Jin Young Ko, the 2018 Women & # 39; s Australian Open champion roaring through the field early while others stumbled.

Ko, last year's LPGA Tour rookie of the year, punked six birdies in her opening 12 holes to 10.

But just as she threatened to blow the tournament apart, Ko threw her tee-shot on the par-three 14th in the water and took a double-bogey.

Five minutes later another Ko bogey suddenly gave hope to the field on the 15th.

But, as the big ones do, Ko stole herself and made a quality birdie on the 17th extending to eight below, where she ended up with a nice 68 despite her trials.

& # 39; Night leader and fellow Korean In-Kyung Kim fared the same, with an early bogey exacerbated by a double bogey on ninth play alongside Kirk.

But Kim, the 2017 Women & # 39; s British Open champion, also dug deep when it mattered and played the back nine two down to claw back to seven down, just one of the leader.

American Danielle Kang (70) and Mi Hyang Lee (68) share third place in five, with the Korean being another to come back from potential calamities when she had an ace on the 17th, just an hour after double bogey and bogey were on the 12th and 13th to take down the rankings.

Kirk shares fifth place with Jeongeun Lee6 and Alena Sharp with seven players in two and another eleven in one.

Perth & # 39; s Minjee Lee remain on par with the weakest of chances after finding her touch late today in carding a 69.

The remaining Australian, Queenslander Sarah Jane Smith, fell back to nine with a flat 76.

LEADERBOARD