Nasa Hataoka shot a 1-over-par 73 and dropped to 23rd place after Saturday's third round of the Women's PGA Championship.
Hataoka carded three birdies and four bogeys at Kemper Lakes Golf Club to land in a three-way tie at a 2-under 214 total, nine shots behind leader Ryu So-yeon of South Korea.
Ryu, who opened the round in a three-way tie atop the leaderboard, shot a 4-under 67 and heads into Sunday's final round with a three-shot lead over Canada's Brooke Henderson, the 2016 tournament winner.
The 19-year-old Hataoka is competing in her first event since winning her maiden LPGA title last Sunday at the NW Arkansas Championship. Last year, she missed the cut in her debut Women's PGA Championship, one of five women's majors.
"My shots were good, but I struggled around the green," Hataoka said. "I had trouble with my putts, and I couldn't pick up the momentum. (But) I wasn't nervous at all. I think I lack that sense of tension."
Among other Japanese, Sakura Yokomine sits at 7-over, while Ayako Uehara is 8-over after the third round.