Despite losing ground on the leaderboard with a 2-over-par 73, Choi will start Sunday in a share of 16th place in her first appearance at the Women’s Open.

At 1-over-par through 54 holes, she trails leader Yealimi Noh by eight shots, while the only other Australian to make the cut, Hannah Green (73), is a further two strokes behind.

Two early bogeys put Choi on the back foot in difficult conditions on the English links, but she fought back with birdies at the sixth and eighth holes before turning in 1-over-par.

Her steady back nine featured eight pars and a bogey on the par-4 16th to leave the Queenslander well placed to improve on her best finish in a major – a share of 48th at the Women’s PGA Championship earlier in the year.

Meanwhile, Green’s round included three bogeys and two birdies - one on the final hole - to leave her in equal 27th

Noh will head into the final round with a three-shot lead.

The American mixed three bogeys with five birdies for a two-under 69, which moved her onto seven-under for the Championship, clear of five players who are in a share of second place.

One of that quintet is Haerun Ryu, the halfway leader, with the 25-year-old carding six bogeys on a difficult afternoon.

The Korean wasn’t the only player to struggle in the third round, with just nine players shooting an under-par score as Royal Lytham bared its teeth.

Meanwhile, on the Champions Tour, Australia’s Cam Percy is four shots off the lead after three rounds of the Portugal Invitational.

After rounds of 68-67, he sits in a share of seventh place, with a group of three players – Stewart Cink, Padraig Harrington and Rory Sabbatini – tied at the top.