Enduring tough weather conditions in Las Vegas, Leona Maguire shot her first over-par round of the ARAMCO Championship at Shadow Creek as the 31-year-old now sits in tied fifth place, six strokes back from 36-hole-leader Lauren Coughlin.
Coming off the back of a 71 in round two, Maguire began her round with a bogey at the first, before undoing the mishap with a birdie at the par-5 fourth.
Closing out the front nine, the two-time LGPA winner made another bogey at the eighth, taking the turn at one-over-par. That was followed by a missed green at the par-3 13th which proved costly for the Cavan native, as she had to scramble to make a double-bogey which saw lose her T2 position that she’d earned in Friday’s round.
Heading back to the clubhouse, a birdie came at the par-3 17th as Maguire closed out her round with a two-over-par 74, now sitting in T5 at one-under-par heading into Sunday’s final round.
Two doubles, four bogeys and a single birdie saw 24-year-old Dubliner Anna Foster post a seven-over-par 79 as she sits out of contention at 11-over-par, while Kildare’s Lauren Walsh posted another eight-over-par as she looked to be far from the form she showed in the first round, with the 25-year-old sitting on 14-over-par.
USA’s Lauren Coughlin holds her lead after 54-holes, as the 33-year-old posted a one-over-par 73 to sit two shots clear of Nelly Korda who occupies second place.
“This golf course is really hard, especially if you get in the wrong spot,” said Coughlin. “I felt like I did a pretty good job today of at least getting in spots, and if I did get a little out, making sure I walked away with no worse than bogey.”
Speaking on her chances of adding to her two professional wins, Coughlin said “I have just stayed as patient as possible and taking what it gives. Again, just trying to guess as best you can on some of the bounces and hope the wind catches it when you’re trying to get it. I’m just going to keep trying to stay as patient as I possibly can tomorrow and whatever happens, happens.”
Korda rolled in back-to-back birdies on holes three and four before dropping her only shot of the day on 15.
The two-time major champion ended the day the same way she started it with back-to-back birdies on 17 and 18 to be in second place on five-under-par.
“It’s been playing brutally hard, just especially the back nine. I’m very happy with my round. These rounds are sometimes even mentally the hardest, so I stayed in it quite well,” said Korda.
“It’s so firm too, so it’s very hard to stop golf balls. You’re almost just playing for a run-up. There is no real advantage to being a longer hitter. It’s all just about placement here,” added the world number two.
Japan’s Miyu Yamashita and Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen are in a share of third place on three-under-par heading into the final day.
The final round of the 2026 Aramco Championship will begin at 3:05 p.m. Irish time with the leaders teeing off at 9:05 pm at Shadow Creek.
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