Key putts set Ko up for duel for title
Lydia Ko’s rollercoaster ride continued at Palos Verdes Golf Club yesterday but she did enough to set up a gripping trans-Tasman duel for a potential 18th LPGA Tour title.
The world No 3 from New Zealand was again a mixed bag in the Palos Verdes Championship in California, but reeled off some wonderful putts in a run of five birdies in 12 holes before signing for a third round of one-under-par 70.
That left her seven-under for the tournament, one shot off the lead held by Australia’s world No19 Hannah Green.
The pair will go head-to-head in the final round today, with Ko two shots clear of a nine-way tie for third including such big names as Inbee Park and Lexi Thompson.
After a second round featuring an eagle and a double-bogey, Ko began her third round six-under and playing in the final group with Green who held a three-stroke lead.
Ko again started poorly, with a double bogey on the second and a bogey on the fourth.
But she hit her stride, closing out the front nine with three birdies in five holes including a long, breaking putt for a three on the ninth.
Ko took par on the 10th after nearly holing her approach, before another superbly judged putt from around 8m for birdie on the 15th saw her draw level with Green at seven-under.
Both had birdies on 16 to continue to share the lead at eightunder, before Ko took bogey on 17 then made a sand save from a tough position on the last to keep the margin at one shot.
Green had a mixed day, with her round of 72 including five bogeys, two birdies and an eagle.
Ko hasn’t finished top-10 in her last four tournaments amid a positive test for Covid-19 in Singapore in March. She won her 17th LPGA Tour title at the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio in January.
Ko isn’t the only New Zealand golfer in title contention today.
A third round of two-under 70 left Ryan Fox tied for fifth, four shots behind leader Oliver Bekker of South Africa, in the Catalunya Championship in Girona, Spain.
Fox had five birdies and three bogeys in his third round.
In the PGA Tour Champions (seniors tour) in the US, Steven
Alker’s hot form also continued as he shared the 36-hole lead with Brandt Jobe and Steve Stricker in the Insperity Invitational in Texas.
Alker shot a second round of seven-under 65 to be level at 12-under with Jobe and Stricker in the 54-hole tournament at The Woodlands.