Ko on cusp: ‘Hopefully the weather god is nice’
Lydia Ko yesterday moved into a medal position at the women’s Olympic golf tournament and will now be left watching the skies.
The Kiwi finished her third round in a share of third place after shooting a five-under 66 to steadily ascend the leaderboard at the Kasumigaseki Country Club. She was at 10-under in her quest for a second Olympic medal, five shots off American leader Nelly Korda and two behind secondplaced Aditi Ashok of India.
Ko is level with three players in the bronze medal position but might not get the chance to separate herself in the final round as an impending typhoon is threatening to cut short the tournament.
Round four has been rescheduled to start an hour earlier than normal today, with the forecast meant to deteriorate as the day progresses. Officials have left open the possibility of play tomorrow and there has yet to be clarification of how the bronze medal will be determined if the 54-hole scores do prove final.
But given the way she has improved throughout the tournament, Ko is desperate for the weather gods to allow for a final day charge.
“With the position I’ve put myself in, I really hope that I get a chance to go for it,” she told Sky Sport. “Hopefully the weather god is nice. I saw the forecast was a little better than what it looked like a couple of days ago, so fingers crossed.”
Ko, who claimed silver at Rio 2016, shot the best round of the field on the third day, climbing from a share of ninth at the halfway point.
Backing up from a second-round 67 that would have been even better but for bogeys at 17 and 18, Ko shook off those late troubles and did not drop a shot in round three.
Ko is level with Japan’s Mone Inami, Australia’s Hannah Green and Denmark’s Emily Pedersen, and if that quartet has to share bronze the Kiwi hopes she has made her country proud.
“I’m very proud to be here and hopefully I’m making everyone back home proud, too. I feel like I’m playing for New Zealand.”