Hyo Joo Kim has a 5-shot lead in the Founders Cup after a fast start in the 3rd round

MENLO PARK, Calif. (AP) — Hyo Joo Kim played the first six holes in 6 under before stalling Saturday at tree-lined Sharon Heights, leaving her with a five-stroke lead over Nelly Korda with a round left in the Fortinet Founders Cup.

Kim, the 30-year-old South Korean player ranked eighth in the world, shot a 6-under 66 to get to 17-under 199. She won the tournament in 2015 in Phoenix for the second of her seven LPGA Tour titles.

“I’ve been in the lead, so I want to finish tomorrow well,” Kim said.

Four shots ahead entering the day, she had four birdies and an eagle on the par-5 fifth in the opening burst that ended with a bogey on the par-5 seventh.

“The start up to hole 6, I believe, was unbelievable golf and I can’t even believe it,” Kim said. “I had a lot of birdies and eagle, too. But I did also have some bogeys I shouldn’t have done. The start felt like almost a game.”

Kim opened the back nine birdie-bogey-bogey-birdie, then birdied the par-4 16th to get back to 17 under. She left a 15-foot birdie try a foot short on the par-3 17th and parred the par-5 18th after driving into the left rough.

Korda birdied 16 and 18 in a bogey-free 66. She skipped the Asia swing after winning the season opener in Florida.

“It’s nice to have a clean scorecard wherever you play,” Korda said. “Doesn’t matter. With kind of how tough it is off the tee and into the greens, just really happy with my round today.

On Thursday, Kim holed out for eagle on 8 for a 63 and a two-shot lead She pushed the advantage to four Friday with a 70. Coming off a third-place finish last month in Thailand, she's the defending champion next week in Arizona.

Ruixin Liu of China and Gaby Lopez of Mexico were 11 under. Liu eagled the fifth in a 66. Lopez had a 68 playing alongside Kim.

Top-ranked Jeeno Thitikul (69) was 9 under with Erika Hara (67), Karis Davidson (69) and Hye-Jin Choi (69).

The tournament began as a tribute to the 13 founders of the LPGA. It began in Arizona in 2011 and last year was the second event of the season and played in Florida. It has attracted eight of the top 10 players in the world ranking and kicks off a four-tournament stretch in the West ahead of the first major of the year.

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Nelly Korda, of the United States, waves after a putt on the fifth green during the first round of the LPGA Fortinet Founders Cup golf tournament, Thursday, March 19, 2026, in Menlo Park, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Lydia Ko, of New Zealand, hits from the 11th fairway during the first round of the LPGA Fortinet Founders Cup golf tournament, Thursday, March 19, 2026, in Menlo Park, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Randy Arozarena has apologized to Seattle Mariners teammate Cal Raleigh after Arozarena cursed out the catcher for not returning a handshake at the World Baseball Classic.

“I understand that with Opening Day a few days away, I don’t want it to be a distraction. Cal and I have talked and I apologized for what I said after the game," Arozarena said in a statement issued by the Mariners. “Nothing in the WBC takes away from the fact that we are brothers and teammates. He’s family, and we are both focused on helping the Mariners win the World Series.”

The incident between the two took place on March 9 when Arozarena reached down to greet Raleigh in his catcher’s squat at home plate, and Raleigh declined to offer his hand back in a game in which the Americans beat Mexico 5-3.

Arozarena, speaking to Mexican journalist Luis Gilbert in Spanish, said Raleigh “has to thank God that he has nice parents, well educated,” and added he recently hugged them during a friendly greeting at the team hotel.

He then used profane Cuban and Mexican slang to insult Raleigh before pivoting to English and saying Raleigh could shove his “good to see you” in his rear. Arozarena was born in Cuba but defected to Mexico to pursue an MLB career.

Soon after, Raleigh called Arozarena a baseball “brother,” while explaining there was no tension between the teammates.

“I love Randy, I do,” Raleigh said. “I hate that this is a thing. There’s no beef when we get back to Seattle. He’s my brother. We’re family.”

On Saturday night after their spring training game, Raleigh reiterated his feelings.

“We talked it out, and everything went great,” Raleigh said, according to MLB.com. “Randy knows that I love him, and he’s a brother, and it’s in the past and none of us are carrying this forward. We’re in a good spot.”

The Mariners open the season Thursday against the Cleveland Guardians.

Seattle is coming off a season in which it won the franchise’s first AL West title since 2001. Raleigh helped lead the way by becoming the seventh different player in major league history to hit 60 homers in a season.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

United States catcher Cal Raleigh, left, and pitcher Mason Miller, right, celebrate after their win over Canada in a World Baseball Classic quarterfinal game, Friday, March 13, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Mexico outfielder Randy Arozarena walks in from the outfield before a World Baseball Classic game against Italy, Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)