Jenny Shin will take a five-shot lead into the final round of the 2026 ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open after negotiating difficult conditions at Dundonald Links on Saturday.

The Korean golfer carded a one-under 71 to reach 12-under, preserving the advantage she held overnight. Pajaree Anannarukarn sits second on 7- under after matching the lowest round of the day with a 69.

Shin has led since the end of the opening round, making this the first LPGA Tour event in which she has led or shared the lead after each of the first three rounds. She also leads the field with 15 birdies and has made only three bogeys through 54 holes.

Shin manages the wind and nerves

Rain and gusting winds made scoring difficult on the Ayrshire links, and Shin admitted that her five-shot cushion brought unfamiliar pressure.

“That was a very tough round, I was quite nervous for the first five holes, so I’m really glad that I was able to finish the day in red numbers,” Shin said. “It was a pretty boring and nerve-wracking day at the same time.”

Her first birdie arrived at the sixth. After dropping a shot on the 10th, Shin responded immediately with a birdie at 11 and completed her sixth consecutive under-par round at the tournament, the longest active streak in the event.

Shin said finding fairways and missing greens in manageable positions had been central to her scoring. She changed her putting setup this week to cope with the wind but briefly returned to her old method during the bogey at 10.

“I’ve never been in this position [a five-shot lead], so I don’t know how to feel,” she said. “I’m going to go and practice for a little bit and get a good feel for tomorrow so I’m not such a mess in the morning.”

LPGA Tour players holding leads of at least five shots after 54 holes have converted 20 of 22 opportunities over the past 15 seasons. The most recent player to miss out was Grace Kim at the 2024 Meijer LPGA Classic.

Anannarukarn moves into second

Anannarukarn recorded Saturday’s only bogey-free round and has hit 45 of 54 greens in regulation, the best total in the field. Her three-under 69 moved her two shots clear of the players sharing third.

“I was really in the zone and just focusing on my shot and trying to hit the fairway, hit the green and make the putt,” Anannarukarn said. “That’s all I was thinking about and trying to get a hold of the wind and figure out what it’s doing.”

Erika Hara and Esther Henseleit share third on 5-under, while A Lim Kim is fifth at 3-under. Miyu Yamashita and 2024 champion Lauren Coughlin are another shot back.

Chanettee Wannasaen, Daniela Darquea and Nataliya Guseva occupy the available qualifying places for the AIG Women’s Open.

Sunday’s final round begins at 8.25am local time, with Shin’s leading group due to tee off at 10.30am.

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