Kiwis chasing glory in different tournaments
AUCKLAND: Today could be victory day for three Kiwi golfers who are all in contention on their respective tours.
Ryan Fox, Lydia Ko and Daniel Hillier are all within touching distance to add to wins in 2022.
Fox jumped into a share of second at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship as he chases his second victory of the DP World Tour season.
He sits four shots back from Englishman Richard Mansell and will play in the final group at the Old Course at St Andrews after the Kiwi shot a 7underpar 65 at Kingsbarns Golf Links.
Under the format of the unique proam event, the first three rounds are played at St Andrews, Carnoustie Golf Links and Kingsbarns.
After a round of 2over at Carnoustie, Fox bounced back with an eagle, six birdies and just one bogey to sit at 11under for the tournament.
It will be a welcome return to contention for Fox who has overcome a recent knee injury and an airline losing his golf clubs in recent weeks.
Of notable names further back, Rory McIlroy, Billy Horschel and Padraig Harrington are all four shots back from Fox at 7under.
Ko shrugged off a double bogey to four birdies on the back nine to card a 4under 67 in the third round at The Ascendant LPGA in Texas.
Ko had six birdies across her round to move to 10under, one shot behind coleaders Xiyu Lin on China and England’s Charley Hull.
A top three finish would move Ko to the top of the Race to the CME globe standings.
Her only blip on the round was a doublebogey five on the par 3 10th, but she responded with four birdies over the next six holes to jump back up the leaderboard.
In the Challenge Tour, Hillier is still a chance for backtoback victories but has lost his lead heading into the final round at the Hopps Open de Provence event in France.
Hillier, who won the Swiss Challenge tournament last week, sits in a share of second following a third round 70.
He is two shots back from leader Joel Sjoholm, of Sweden.
A strong finish should all but book Hillier a place on the DP World Tour next year.
The 24yearold was 26th in the tour standings two weeks ago and was sitting 13th after his win last week.
As it stands, a second placing in Mallemort would jump him to third.
The top 20 players after the seasonending tour finale in Spain next month secure their main tour cards.