In this episode of The Birdie Briefing, Marie breaks down a thrilling Round 3 of the Portland Classic. The spotlight shines on rookie Akie Iwai, who surged into solo first with a dazzling 64—the lowest score of the tournament so far—fueled by an eagle, seven birdies, and a remarkable recovery on 12. Chasing her is Australia’s Grace Kim, just two shots back after a magical eagle on 17, while Sweden’s Linn Grant holds solo third with a strong 14-under.

Marie also highlights rising stories across the leaderboard: Gurleen Kaur’s inspiring run into fourth, Gina Kim’s bogey-free charge, and Aditi Ashok’s climb into the top five. We get drama and flair from Rio Takeda, Haeran Ryu (with a hole-in-one at the Toyota challenge!), and Akie’s twin sister Chisato—all tied in seventh alongside veteran Lauren Coughlin.

Rounding out the day, Marie updates us on fan favorites: JLee5 and Brooke Henderson slipping back but still within striking distance, and Rose Zhang keeping the excitement alive with an eagle of her own. With Sunday’s final round looming and coverage on Golf Channel from 3–6 p.m. CT, the stage is set for a nail-biting finish in Portland.