Mozo retains New Zealand Open lead after third round

AUCKLAND: Spain’s Belen Mozo will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the LPGA Tour’s New Zealand Women’s Open after a one-under 71 helped her hold off challenges from Brooke Henderson of Canada and American Brittany Lincicome.

Mozo, who led by five strokes after the second round, had a threeround total of 15-under 201 on the newly-established Windross Farm course yesterday.

Henderson had a 67 to move into second place. The biggest mover on the day was Lincicome, who had a 66 to be tied for third, four strokes behind. Also four back was China’s Jing Yan, who shot 69.

Local favourite Lydia Ko shot 70 and was seven strokes behind Mozo. Mozo had a bogey at the 164m, par-3 13th, where she had a hole in one on Friday.

The hole exemplified how difficult the layout became yesterday when the wind began to blow and temperatures fell.

It had been one of the easiest holes on the course over the first two days but became one of the hardest yesterday. Mozo’s bogey allowed Henderson, playing ahead of her, to narrow the lead to one stroke but Mozo responded by sinking a 30-foot birdie putt at the 14th to restore a two-shot buffer.

“It was a grind-out day for sure. I had to talk to my caddie in the middle of the round because I couldn’t compare the golf I was playing today with the golf that I played yesterday under perfect conditions,” said Mozo.

“I was able to manage bad shots better than yesterday, and converted a not-so-good round into an under-par round.” — AP