BEIJING, 25 Oct, 2014 (AFP) - More heavy rain hit the Jian Lake club in Sanya on the southern island of Hainan, a day after the miserable weather forced organisers to reduce the $2 million tournament from four rounds to three.
Competitors had to wait another three hours on Saturday morning for play to get back under way on the par-72 course.
South Africa's Pace (67, 66) and Korda (66, 67) of the United States are level on 133 going into Sunday's final round, with South Korea's Chella Choi a shot behind.
Korda's day started badly with a double bogey on the first hole, but she did not drop a single shot after that.
"I got a little frazzled there as I was walking to the first tee box and then obviously didn't hit a good shot," she said. "I tried to forget about it."
Pace, along with Choi and Austin Ernst of the United States, shot the low round of the day with a 6-under 66 that included seven birdies and one bogey, and described her play as "pretty decent".
Korda was hoping to build on her momentum going into the final round after a day that saw her birdie three consecutive holes and pull off a 17-foot par putt on the 18th hole that kept her at 11-under par.
"I would say the putt on 18 that I made to save par was definitely good to bring the momentum that I had on the last 17 holes, to bring it in for tomorrow," said Korda. "So hopefully I can just feed off of that."
With three career wins and two this season, Korda would join Stacy Lewis and Inbee Park as the only three-time winners in 2014.
It would be a first LPGA Tour career win for Pace, coming fresh off a ninth-career victory on the Ladies European Tour in her native South Africa.