Hall admits she’ll have to go low to have any chance of claiming Evian title
England’s Georgia Hall was within five shots of leader Amy Olson after the third round of the Evian Championship.
Hall, looking to add to her Women’s British Open triumph for back-to-back Major wins, had started the day two strokes off the lead.
The 22-year-old matched her score from the first two days as she carded 68, which featured five birdies and two bogeys. However, American Olson showed no sign of nerves as she shot a bogey-free 65 to sit on 14 under, two shots clear of South Korea’s Kim Sei-young.
Hall said: “It was a bit up and down.
“I had a good front nine and holed some good putts, and then I missed some putts on the back nine. I’m playing really well at the moment and, hopefully, I can have a low one tomorrow.
“I think I’ve had some putts every day that have just missed, like a lot of players, but I think I’m in with a good chance tomorrow and four, five shots isn’t that much around this golf course.
“I’ll play smart hopefully.”
Olson, locked in a four-way share of the lead overnight, started strongly with a birdie on the first hole in unseasonably warm conditions and temperatures of 24C at the Evian Resort Golf Club. Although there was a tussle for the lead on the front nine, she regained her advantage with an eagle on the long ninth hole. She then made three further gains at the narrow par-4 12th hole and the short 14th and 16th.
Looking for her first title in five years on the LPGA Tour, Olson thrives in the Majors and finished tied for ninth at the ANA Inspiration in California in April, having played in the final group with the winner, Pernilla Lindberg.
“The thing I learned the most from playing with Pernilla is that you shouldn’t worry about bogeys. Bogeys are going to happen,” said Olson, who has her older brother as her caddie for the championship.
“Patience is going to be key tomorrow.”
The round of the day belonged to Ryann O’toole from the US, whose eightunder-par 63 was the lowest round of her career.
O’toole is tied for seventh and will start the six strokes back today.
There are five US players in the top 10 heading into the final round. The last American to win at Evian was Natalie Gulbis in 2007, when the tournament was called the Evian Masters. There have also been two first-time winners, like Olson, in the Majors this year.