Canada hotshot poised to pounce
THIS may be the tournament Lydia Ko made happen, but it is now officially Brooke Henderson’s to lose.
The 20-year-old Canadian, who won her first major in 2016, and is the second highest ranked player in the field (at 12), ended a strong third day of golf’s New Zealand Women’s Open at Windross Farm, south of Auckland, just a shot off the pace still being set by Spanish sensation Belen Mozo.
But everything appears loaded in the Canadian’s favour when this inaugural LPGA-sanctioned tournament reconvenes for its final round today earlier than scheduled (a two-tee start from 7.40am will see the last groups on the course by 10am) in anticipation of some bad weather forecast.
Henderson’s third-round, fiveunder 67 – five birdies, no bogeys – takes her to a 14-under total of 202, just a shot back of Mozo who had her least spectacular round of the event in testing windy afternoon conditions, but hung tough to card a one-under 71.
The Canadian, a four-time LPGA Tour winner, has momentum, form, pedigree and confidence in her favour, not to mention a three-shot cushion on nearest pursuers, American Brittany Lincicome, who shot a third-round 66, and China’s Jing Yan, whose 70 included five birdies and two bogeys. They are tied for third on 205.
Colombia’s Mariajo Uribe, Wales’ Amy Boulden and Thailand’s Thidapa Suwannapura are tied for 5th on 10 under, a shot ahead of Beatrix Recari, Nicole Broch Larsen and Madelene Sagstrom.
Kiwi hope Ko, who had a thirdround two-under 70, is in a threeway tie for 11th at eight under, with a miracle required to lift the trophy for a fourth time.
Henderson was rapt to get through a tough afternoon blemish-free. ‘‘The wind really picked up on our back nine, so to have five birdies I’m really happy and definitely excited to be in the spot I’m in now,’’ said the LPGA’s second youngest major winner, behind Ko.
‘‘But Belen has been playing awesome all week, and she is not going to give it up easily.
‘‘There are also a lot of players right around me that could shoot a low number and steal it.
‘‘Everybody has to go out and shoot a great number and make a lot of birdies.’’ Leading scores after the third round 201 – Belen Mozo, SPAIN (66, 64, 71) 202 – Brooke Henderson, CAN (65,70, 67) 205 – Brittany Lincicome, USA (67, 72, 66); Jing Yan, CHI (70, 66, 69) 206 – Mariajo Uribe, COL (68, 68, 70); Amy Boulden, WALES (66, 70, 70); Thidapa Suwannapura, THAI (70, 66, 70) 207 – Nicole Broch Larsen, DEN (72, 69, 66); Beatriz Recari, SPAIN (67, 70, 70); Madelene Sagstrom, SWE (68, 67, 72) 208 – Hee Young Park, KOR (69, 70, 69); Su Oh, AUS (69, 70, 69); Lydia Ko, NZ (70, 68, 70)