WILLIAMSBURG, May 18, 2014 (AFP) - Salas, seeking a first career victory on the LPGA Tour, had a 54-hole total of 13-under 200 with second-round leader Park on 203 after a third-round 69.
American Stacy Lewis and New Zealand teenager Lydia Ko lent intrigue to a group on 205. The two, who can each claim the world number one ranking from South Korean star Park In-Bee this week, were joined at eight-under by Australian Katherine Kirk.
Lewis carded a third-round 70, Ko posted a 67 and Kirk carded her second-straight 68.
Former world number one Tseng Ya-Ni of Taiwan shot a 68 to head a group on 206 along with Thailand's Pornanong Phatlum (66) and American Lexi Thompson (70).
Organizers got the third round in despite falling behind schedule after a weather delay of more than three hours on Friday.
Park Hee-Young remained top the leaderboard after completion of the second round on Saturday morning with a one-stroke lead over Lewis, Salas and Brittany Lang.
Ko moved up from a tie for 12th after the second round to her share of third. The 17-year-old needs a victory this week to seize the number one ranking.
Lewis, who won the most recent prior LPGA event two weeks ago in Texas, must win or finish alone in second behind anyone but Ko to take the top spot.
Either would have to get past Salas and Park, who traded birdies throughout the day with Salas' bogey-free effort eventually landing her on top of the leaderboard.
"I felt really good," said Salas, who has been in contention this season with a runner-up finish at the Kia Classic and a tie for third in the Bahamas.
"Like my mentality. Yes, I was quite nervous coming down the stretch, Hee-Young was knocking it close to the pin. But I felt good. I felt relaxed most importantly," Salas said. "I was just trying to smile as much as possible."
Park had four birdies and two bogeys in her two-under effort, and said even her bogey at the 18th wasn't too deflating.
"I putted perfect and just missed the hole, so I wasn't disappointed," she said.
Park said accuracy would be key in her pursuit of Salas on Sunday, after too many of her tee shots failed to find the fairway in the third round.
"It's a bit tough to get it close or make birdie chance," she said, "so tomorrow I'll put a little more focus on the accuracy rather than distance."
Leading scores on Saturday after the third round of the US LPGA Kingsmill Championship (USA unless noted, par-71):
200 - Lizette Salas 67-68-65
203 - Park Hee-Young (KOR) 66-68-69
205 - Stacy Lewis 70-65-70, Katherine Kirk (AUS) 69-68-68, Lydia Ko (NZL) 70-68-67
206 - Pornanong Phatlum (THA) 71-69-66, Tseng Ya-Ni (TPE) 68-70-68, Lexi Thompson 67-69-70
207 - Ryu So-Yeon (KOR) 70-69-68, Austin Ernst 65-74-68
208 - Azahara Munoz (ESP) 65-71-72, Thidapa Suwannapura (THA) 67-70-71, Alejandra Llaneza (ITA) 68-69-71
209 - Christina Kim 72-70-67, Sandra Gal (GER) 69-71-69, Jennifer Rosales (PHI) 70-69-70, Sarah Jane Smith (AUS) 68-71-70, Brittany Lang 67-68-74
210 - Lee Il-Hee (KOR) 72-70-68, Hi Eun-Hee (KOR) 71-71-68, Carlotte Ciganda (ESP) 70-72-68, Suzann Pettersen (NOR) 72-68-70, Mina Harigae 72-68-70, Charley Hull (ENG) 70-69-71, Jenny Shin (KOR) 69-70-71, Cristie Kerr 67-71-72