Putting problems hold back Ko
New Zealand golfer Lydia Ko had her best ball-striking day of the week but her putter went cold, which put a stop to any significant moves up the leaderboard in the third round of the LPGA Tour’s Kingsmill Championship in Virginia yesterday.
The world No 1 carded a oneunder par 70 on moving day in Williamsburg, edging up a couple of places to a share of 20th at threeunder par with one round remaining.
Victory is out of the question for Ko unless she shoots somewhere in the vicinity of 60 in the final round.
That will, however, require her to land a few more putts; she required 30 strokes with the flat stick in the third round, despite a better day from tee to green as she hit 11 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens, her best numbers of the week.
Ko is eight shots behind leader Perrine Delacour, an unheralded 21-year-old from France who is yet to win in 19 starts across seasons on the LPGA Tour.
At 11-under par, Delacour leads by one shot from American Alison Lee, who had a bogey and a double bogey in her final three holes in the third round to relinquish a two-shot lead, dropping from 13-under to 10-under.
Meanwhile, at the Wells Fargo Championship on the PGA Tour, Danny Lee carded his second consecutive round of three-under par 69 to move to seven-under for the tournament and a share of 14th place with one round remaining.
He is well off the pace, though, which has been set by world No 1 Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman carded a course record 11-under 61 to move to 18-under, four shots clear of the field.
Of the other Kiwis, Steve Alker had an even-par 72 to remain tied for 39th at three-under par and Tim Wilkinson missed the cut.
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