SUNNINGDALE, England — Yuri Fudoh of Japan shot a 3-under 69 to lead by one stroke after the third round of the Women's British Open today.

Fudoh, who got into the tournament after finishing in the top 15 of the championship a year ago at St. Andrew's, is at 13-under 203 at Sunningdale and in sight of her first major title.

Ji-Yai Shin of South Korea (70) is second after making a bogey at the last. Shin drove her tee shot into the rough. She then pulled her second shot into the gallery and almost onto the first tee behind. Taking a drop, she pitched 20 feet past the hole and then missed a 20-foot par putt.

Ai Miyazato of Japan (68) is two shots back from Fudoh, then came two Americans, Cristie Kerr (70) and Juli Inkster (71), who are a further stroke back.

Inkster, who is aiming to win her eighth major a record 24 years after her first, started one shot behind Shin and Fudoh at 9 under. But she hit the front by pitching her second shot to within eight feet of the flag at the first hole and making the eagle putt.

Aiming to become the oldest winner of a women's major at age 48, she went close to an eagle at the second when she pitched out of the rough and the ball rolled just past the flag for a short birdie putt to go to 12 under. But Inkster lost her way soon after the turn, dropping shots at the 11th and 12th and at the 17th, where her 30-foot par putt shaved the hole. At the last, she missed a 4-foot birdie putt.

Defending champion Lorena Ochoa (71) also had a bad back nine to be five shots off the lead. Having picked up four shots before the turn to be one off the lead, the Mexican became wild off the tee, finding the rough at the 11th, 17th and 18th to drop three shots.

Annika Sorenstam, who won in 2003 among her 10 majors, shot a 70 for her best round of the week. But two late bogeys prevented her from becoming a title threat in her last major championship.

The Swede birdied the second and ninth holes and eagled the 11th with a 38-yard chip-in. She finished at 2-under 214.

Sorenstam had been still hoping to mount a challenge after two level-par rounds of 72, but dropped shots at the 13th and 17th holes. She also left a 10-foot birdie putt at the last just inches short of the hole.

"After the 11th, I was hoping to get to 5 or 6 under and still have a chance," she said. "Today was a little better, more regular golf. I missed a few shots here and there but I kept going, and when you hole a shot like that on the 11th, it keeps the momentum going."

Sorenstam, who announced in May that she would retire at the end of the year, is hoping her last day in a major will give her the sort of finish she wants.

"I want to have a good final round," she said. "What was really special was coming down the last eight with that great support. Teeing up so early compared with leaders, we still had a huge crowd and it was very special coming up 18. I hope it will be like that tomorrow."

Sorenstam will marry in January and plans to start a family while concentrating on various golf and business commitments. But she said she had been approached about being a captain of Europe's Solheim Cup team.

"I'm not going to play next year, but I have been asked about being a captain and I said I'd be honored if asked," Sorenstam said. "It's a tremendous honor."