Women's British Open 2021: Anna Nordqvist Cards 3rd-Round 65, Tied for Lead

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Anna Nordqvist and Nanna Koerstz Madsen share the lead at nine under after Saturday's third round of the 2021 AIG Women's British Open at Carnoustie Golf Links in Scotland.

Nordqvist was two shots better than anybody else in the major championship field in Round 3 with a bogey-free, seven-under 65. It vaulted her from 23rd place after the second round into the tie with Koerstz Madsen, who posted a four-under 68 on Saturday.

They'll face plenty of competition during the final round, as there are 12 other golfers within three shots of the lead at the LPGA's last major of the season. The chase group is led by Lizette Salas, who's in solo third at eight under.

Nordqvist got off to a relatively mundane start to the third round with one birdie through five holes before she caught fire with three straight birdies beginning on the par-five sixth. She enjoyed another torrid stretch on the back nine—three birdies over four holes—to push atop the leaderboard.

The 34-year-old Sweden native is a two-time major champion, having previously won the 2009 Women's PGA Championship and 2017 Evian Championship. She's never finished better than seventh (three times) in the Women's British Open.

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Koerstz Madsen, 26, is seeking her first major title after posting her best result on one of the sport's biggest stages in April, when she tied for third in the ANA Inspiration. It would also be her first LPGA win after one triumph on the Ladies European Tour and three on the Symetra Tour.

She carded an eagle, three birdies and one bogey in the third round. The eagle came on the par-five 12th:

Salas is another player seeking her first victory in a major after several close calls, including second-place finishes in the 2019 Women's British Open and 2021 Women's PGA Championship.

Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Nelly Korda, Lexi Thompson, Ariya Jutanugarn and Brooke Henderson are among the other high-profile players within striking distance of the lead heading into the final round.

Scotland's Louise Duncan, who stands at seven under, is also in contention and looking to become the first amateur to win an LPGA major since Catherine Lacoste in 1967.

"I was shaking on the putt on the 18th. I felt on 17 my putt should have gone in, so I thought I deserved a putt. I was extremely happy to get it in," Duncan told reporters after Saturday's four-under 68.

U.S. television coverage of the final round will begin at 7 a.m. ET Sunday on Golf Channel and switch to NBC at noon.