Michelle Wie took a detour on her way to the Ko Olina Golf Club media tent for post-round interviews.

Wie, dissatisfied with her 2-under 70 in Friday’s third round of the LPGA Lotte Championship, tried to get past some missed birdie opportunities and a bogey on 18 by smoothing things out at the putting green.

Once she arrived at the interview table Wie soon revealed what was on her mind.

"Oh yeah, I had lot of birdie opportunities today," Wie said.

"It was one of the head-scratching days where, you know, I’d hit putts. I’d hit it at the perfect speed, right where I want to and it just breaks in a completely opposite direction. So I had some putts, I hit some bombs, hit some wind. It was just one of those days where, you know, there was really nothing I could do. I just stayed patient out there today. Unfortunately I made a bogey the last hole."

Meanwhile, leader Angela Stanford, whom Wie trailed by a stroke entering the day, was a model of consistency on the greens.

She nailed seemingly every mid-length putt to extend her lead to four shots going into Saturday’s final round.

Wie (9 under 207) is still within striking distance of her third tour victory, and first in her home state.

"It would be a lot of fun," Wie said. "It would be awesome. I’m just not going to think too far ahead. I have a lot of work ahead of me for tomorrow. Just see what I can do. I’m going to play my hardest and just play my heart out."

Most of that work she mentioned has to do with her putter, as she consistently put herself in position off the tee to cut into Stanford’s lead. It’s a trend this season; she ranks 10th on tour in greens in regulation, but just 75th in putts per round.

Early on, things went well. Wie birdied 3 to pull even with Stanford at 8 under. Stanford took sole possession right back with birdies on three of the next four holes, but Wie sank a long birdie on No. 11 to remain a stroke behind.

But the difference in their games was underscored on the par-3 12th hole when Wie stuck her tee shot within a handful of feet of the cup. Stanford’s shot was a foot or 2 farther out, but on the same break. The veteran putted first and sank it for birdie. When it came time for Wie to match, she could not, and settled for par.

Another prime opportunity for birdie within 8 feet on No. 14 went for naught, causing Wie to drop to her knees in momentary frustration. On 15, a tougher birdie putt on a sloped lie nearly bent in (but didn’t), causing her gallery of a few hundred to groan and Wie to adopt a sardonic smile.

She had a nice uphill par save on 16 from about 8 feet, rousing the crowd. But she couldn’t follow it up with a 6-foot birdie make on 17, and she left her approach shot short of the green on the difficult No. 18. She left herself with a 15-foot putt to save par, and was off the mark.

The good news: Friday was her 24th round under par out of 27 played in 2014, underscoring her tour-best scoring average.

Stanford still feels there’s time for Wie to make a run.

"There’s not enough space," Stanford said. "I can’t create enough space between her (and me) right now."

Wie will join Stanford and Hyo Joo Kim (9 under) in the leaders’ group teeing off at 11:25 a.m.

"I need to stay patient," Wie said. "The speeds today were good. Keep doing the same thing I’m doing, keep giving myself chances and really cash in on them (this time)."