Minjee Lee's seeming stranglehold on LPGA player-of-the-year honours suddenly appears tenuous after teenage sensation Atthaya Thitikul grabbed the outright third-round lead at the Ladies BMW Championship in Korea.

After salvaging an otherwise ho-hum second round with a late birdie-eagle blitz, Thitikul continued her charge on Saturday to surge to 15 under with a blazing 67 featuring five more birdies on the back nine.

The 19-year-old's withering finish set the stage for an intriguing Sunday climax, with Thitikul entering the final round one shot in front of New Zealand's former world No.1 Lydia Ko (66) and American halfway leader Andrea Lee (70).

Lee posted a second straight lacklustre 73 to be languishing in a tie for 51st at level par and is most unlikely to finish in the top 10, the minimum requirement to pick up any player-of-the-year points.

Australia's 2022 US Open champion and US PGA Championship runner-up had entered the season's third-last event leading Thitikul by 25 points in the race for the prestigious award - with 30 points on offer to Sunday's winner.

While Lee - 15 shots off the pace - has no chance of winning, fellow Australian Steph Kyriacou gave herself a fighter's chance with a third-round 68 to edge within six of the lead.

Hannah Green is eight back after an even-par 72 on Saturday.

Thitikul's biggest danger could be celebrated compatriot Ariya Jutanugarn.

The former world No.1 produced one of the most amazing finishes to a round in golf history to claw her way back into the tournament.

Jutanugarn's sensational three-hole birdie, eagle, hole-in-one stretch on the back nine rocketed the two-times major champion into a share for eighth at seven under.