Jiyai Shin took advantage of a collapse by world number one Nelly Korda on the back nine and went into the final round of the AIG Women’s Open in St. Andrews with a one-stroke lead.

Shin, a former champion in 2008 and 2012, started the weekend six shots behind but stormed up the leaderboard with a brilliant third round of 67 on the Old Course, combining seven birdies with two bogeys to finish seven under par.

The Korean’s biggest challenge will be defending champion Lilia Vu, who birdied three of her last five holes to reach one-under-par 71. Halfway leader Korda, meanwhile, fell two shots behind after dropping five shots on the back nine in a six-hole stretch of a three-over 75.

Charley Hull briefly led by one shot but is now five back after matching Korda’s 75. Fellow countrywoman Lottie Woad also shares tenth place after an eagle on the final hole moved her back to two under par.

Shin shocks Korda and takes the lead at St. Andrews

Korda needed three long-range putts on the first hole and failed to get up and down the second green, resulting in two bogeys. Her overnight lead disappeared when Hull birdied the par-4 third hole.

The American responded by making a birdie on the third hole to take a three-shot lead when Hull landed in two bunkers on the par-5 7th and was on her way to a double bogey on the 5th.

Shin – who played six groups ahead of Korda – got off to a birdie-birdie start and made up for a bogey on the third hole by making three consecutive birdies starting on the seventh hole to reach the turnaround at 32 strokes, just one shot behind Korda.

Vu holed out from 20 feet to match Korda’s two-putt birdie and converted a 25-foot birdie on the par-3 8th hole to move into a tie for second place alongside Shin, who picked up a stroke on the par-4 12th hole to finish his round at five under par.

Korda made a birdie on the short ninth hole to finish the first nine holes in 35 to restore his two-stroke lead, while Vu had to pitch out of a fairway bunker, starting a streak of four misses in a five-hole stretch.

The lead was back to three strokes when Shin made bogey on the par-5 14th hole, but it was reduced to one after Korda followed up a bogey on the 12th hole with another three-putt on the next hole and Shen drew level after a sensational approach shot on the par-4 17th hole that allowed him a close-range birdie.

Shin missed a birdie on the final hole but was able to take the lead when Korda hit her tee shot out of bounds on the par-4 16th. She fell to five under par and two shots behind, while Vu made her second birdie after three holes to close in on second place with her playing partner.

Korda fell further behind when she failed to get up and down from the back of the 17th green before matching Vu’s birdie on the final hole to stay within two shots of the leader and challenge for her seventh LPGA Tour win of the season.

Jenny Shin shares fourth place with Olympic champion Lydia Ko at four under par, while Jinhee Im, Jeeno Thitikul, Alexa Pano and Ruoning Yin are all within four strokes of the leader and share sixth place.

Esther Henseleit and Albane Valenzuela shot the lowest round of the day at six under par, 66, after making the cut. Woad and Hull were also five strokes back after rounds of 72 and 75, respectively.

Can Korda strike back on Sunday?

“Obviously you want to finish on a high note with the double-shot on 16 and the bogey on 17,” Korda said. “I was happy to get the shot (on 18). Hopefully I can carry that momentum into tomorrow. I think it’s going to be a tough day.”

“I’m going to keep a positive attitude and take it one shot at a time. I’ve played really well the first two days, so I’m going to carry that momentum into tomorrow.”

Vu, who will play alongside Shin in the final group on Sunday, told Sky Sports: “I would say I’m pretty happy with the round. It was a little shaky, I had a few bad luck streaks and went in the wrong direction, but I’m happy to have got a par on 17th and a birdie on 18th and that puts me in a pretty good position for tomorrow.”

“When I took the one-two, I was a bit shaken up, but I kept my composure. My only goal is to beat the course and keep it simple.”

Who will win the AIG Women’s Open? Watch the final round live on Sky Sports Golf from midday on Sunday. Stream the women’s majors and more sport with NOW.

Get the best prices and book a round at one of the 1,700 golf courses in Great Britain and Ireland.