(Getty Images)
Emma Talley got off to another strong start Friday in the third round of the LPGA’s Lotte Championship in Hawaii.
Two birdies on the front nine got Talley to 9-under overall and, briefly, put her into a tie for fifth place.
However, a late stumble dropped Talley into an eight-way tie for 21st place.
The former Caldwell County High School and University of Alabama star bogeyed Nos. 14 and 16, then suffered a double-bogey on the par-4 18th hole.
That gave her a 2-over-par total of 74 in the third round and left her at 5-under through 54 holes.
Brooke Henderson and Nelly Korda top the leaderboard at 15-under. Minjee Lee and Eun-Hee Ji are each just one shot back.
Talley has already bettered last year’s showing in the event when she failed to make the cut. She will add to her $452,091 in career earnings on Saturday.
Talley will tee off at 3:12 p.m. Central time Saturday. Her playing partners will be Nasa Hataoka and Mariajo Uribe.
The final round of the Lotte Championship will air on Golf Channel beginning at 6 p.m.
