Ko needs a very strong finish to retain title

Lydia Ko will have to shoot the lights out to retain her Canadian Open crown.

Tournament winner in 2012, 2013 and 2015, the Kiwi world No 1 will start her final round today seven shots behind tournament leader Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand.

Ko, the 2016 Rio Olympics silver medallist, shot a respectable two-under par third round of 70 to be tied for 10th in Calgary.

However, Jutanugarn, who began the third round as tournament leader, remained in hot form by recording a five-under par 67 to end the round at 17 under.

The world No 2, who has emerged this year as a real threat to Ko’s top ranking, is two shots clear of South Korea’s In Gee Chun, who sits in second after a round of six-under 66.

Ko started the day at eight under, needing to make a move, but dropped a shot on the par-four fourth hole but made some amends when she eagled the par-five seventh. However, a birdie on 12 was the only stroke she picked up on her back nine.

Ko became the youngest winner in LPGA history and the tour’s first amateur winner in 43 years when she took out the 2012 Canadian Open at Vancouver Golf Club aged just 15.

She won the event again as an amateur the following year, an impressive five shots ahead of runner-up Karine Icher in Edmonton, before returning to Vancouver in 2015 and lifting the silverware after a playoff with leading US player Stacy Lewis.

On the men’s Japan Tour, New Zealand’s Michael Hendry stayed in contention for a good payday after finishing his third round tied for fourth at the Rizap KBC Augusta tournament.

Hendry repeated his second-round effort of a one-under 71 to be sevenunder through three rounds and in a group of seven players sharing fourth spot. Japanese star Ryo Ishikawa leads the tournament at 12 under.

On the second-tier Web.com tour in the US, NZ veteran Steve Alker was tied for 37th late in his third round at the Portland Open.