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Lydia Ko is in contention to break her title drought heading into the final round of the US Women’s Open, but it could have been even better for the Kiwi star.
Starting the day in 14th place, Ko moved into a tie for fifth after hitting a one-over-72 to even the tournament at Champions Golf Club.
Carmen Mandato / Getty Images
Lydia Ko drew a card of 72 in the third round of the US Women’s Open in Houston.
The two-time Major League Baseball champion and former world No. 1 was among the four players sitting four shots behind Japan’s leader Hinako Shibuno, who returned to the field in test conditions with a three out of 74.
American Amy Olsen was second overall with three under par with South Korea’s Ji Yeong Kim2, the great engine of the day with 67 four under par, and Thailand’s Moriya Jutanugarn two strokes behind.
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At the very least, Ko could have been with that last group if he hadn’t bogeyed his last hole, which came on the heels of his only birdie of the day on the 17th.
But the 23-year-old can still be very confident after a largely stable round, in which only two players fell below par, as she tries to win her first tournament since April 2018, and the first major in four years.
“Obviously I feel like I could have shot a lower score, but at the same time I think it could have been a lot worse, so I’ll take what I have today,” Ko said.
“Sometimes you’re still on the par train and you think, when is there going to be a good change? But in a field like this and especially in the majors, par is not a bad score sometimes.”
Heavy rain on Friday (Saturday New Zealand time) meant the field had to contend with soft field that made it difficult to control shots with mud splatters on the ball.
But with more rain forecast, it is unlikely to be easier. The USGA has also advanced start times as soon as possible, with the first group starting at 7.45am (local time).
Eric Gay / AP
Hinako Shibuno holds a one-shot advantage heading into the final round of the US Women’s Open.
Ko is the only player to record top-20 finishes in the first three majors of 2020. As she looks to finally make the breakthrough, she says maintaining patience is crucial.
“I wish I hit a few more fairways, I think that’s very important. But today it was very difficult with yesterday’s rain here on the fairways and you have muddy balls.
“But they all have the same, so there are many things to judge. But I think patience will be a big key if we play a little earlier tomorrow, it will be quite cold. So keeping it on the street will definitely make it easier to keep the greens “.
Ko begins her final round alongside Kim2 and American Yealimi Noh at 4.24am Monday (New Zealand time).
