CARLSBAD, Calif. » Golf tantalized Hawaii’s Ayaka Kaneko for nine holes Saturday at the Kia Classic, then tortured her.

“Oh my God,” Kaneko said after shooting a 77. “I was having such a nice day and it turned out to be a nightmare.”

For the second straight day, the Sacred Hearts alum made the turn in 3 under par. And, in a sequel to Friday, La Costa Resort and Spa’s Legends Course reached out and bashed Kaneko on the back nine.

Friday there were four back-nine bogeys in her 73. Saturday there were five, and a double bogey.

Kaneko was 1 over for the tournament and within sight of the leaders after nine holes, in a tournament where only 20 golfers were under par after two rounds. World No. 1 Yani Tseng enters today’s final round with a three-shot lead over former world No. 1 Jiyai Shin. Tseng shot a 69 for a 54-hole total of 204. Shin carded a 69 and is at 9-under 207.

Kaneko is tied for 71st at 9-over 225. She birdied the first and fifth holes, then launched her drive 300 yards-plus on the ninth and buried a 7-foot birdie putt.

Kaneko, in her first full year on the LPGA Tour, was playing as well as anyone save maybe Tseng, who is closing in on her third win in five starts. Kaneko was hitting fairways and greens, and the putts that missed weren’t off by much.

A slot in next week’s first major — the top 10 this week, not already qualified, get in the Kraft Nabisco Championship — was not out of the realm of possibility.

And then it was.

The goofy game got back at her for making it look so simple on the front.

“I wasn’t expecting today to be like this,” said Kaneko, making her seventh LPGA start. “I was feeling really confident and comfortable. And all of a sudden stuff happens and it’s out of control. It’s not like I’m down, depressed or anything. I was really positive all day.”

She remained remarkably composed, even as the back nine spun out of control.

After her double bogey at No. 13, she reminded herself she was still just 1 over for the day. Then she bogeyed the next two holes.

Her final bogey came on the last hole, when her second shot scattered the crowd right of the green. Kaneko chipped on and — for the fourth time on the back nine — missed a par putt inside 8 feet.

“I just couldn’t make a good swing and I couldn’t stop making mistakes,” Kaneko said. “The back nine really gets me. Oh my God.

“I don’t know if it’s my swing or … it’s really confusing. I really don’t know what’s wrong with me on the back nine. I don’t know how to fix it. I don’t know if it’s mental or my swing or it just doesn’t suit my eyes. I played great in the morning the last two days and it’s not like I was being negative or anything. I was emotionally stable.”

Kaneko patiently answered questions from the Japanese media — she was born in Japan and moved to Hawaii at age 12 — for 20 minutes. Then she did it again in English, shaking her head, laughing at the ridiculousness of it all and rolling her eyes at how the game can get into your head.

She is now 4 under par on the Legends’ front nine and 13 over on the back.

Her caddie tried to console her when it was over.

“You look like you are capable of playing unbelievable, way under par,” he said. “Be patient with yourself. It will get a little better every week.”

Kaneko tried to take it all in, but could come up with only one answer.

“I really don’t understand it,” Kaneko said again, this time with finality. “I guess this is golf.”