South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim claimed the third-round lead in the LPGA Tour’s JTBC Founders Cup, finishing another long day at Desert Ridge in the dark on the 18th green.

The 19-year-old shot a six-under 66 to be 16-under-par with 2013 champion Stacy Lewis the next best at 14 under on Saturday (Sunday AEDT).

Kim made three straight birdies, with the last a 25-foot putt on the par-four 16th and holed her final putt shortly after sunset.

Alison Lee and second-round leader Kim Kaufman were third at 13 under, while world No.1 Lydia Ko is 12 under in a tie for fifth.

Defending champion Karrie Webb is the best-placed Australian at six-under-par after her round of one under.

“Been really good with the driver, second, third (shots), totally all the clubs,” said Kim, who won the Evian Championship last year in France for her first major title.

“If I miss, I save, so I’m playing good. All the putts feel good.

“I’ve won before and I’ve been playing four or five times a year on the LPGA, so I have experience, but not much like this in the States.”

Eleven-time tour winner Lewis was relieved to finish the round in the event that finally caught up after falling behind Thursday when rain delayed the start.

“The worst part is going to sleep thinking about that one shot or that one putt you have to hit,” Lewis said.

“Just being able to do the normal stuff in the morning and not having to worry about going to bed so early. You can watch some basketball.”

Webb came from six strokes back in the final round in each of her two victories in the event, closing with a 66 in 2011 and a 63 last year. The Australian had a 73 on Saturday, leaving her 10 strokes behind Kim.

“It’s going to be a shootout,” Lewis said. “It’s going to be what this golf course sets up for and the leaderboard this year sets up for it even more.”