Ace boosts Ko as Britons fade

World No 1 blasts into contention with hole-in-one in third round 65

The first hole-in-one of her career lifted world No 1 Lydia Ko into medal contention as Charley Hull’s hopes of securing a golden double for Great Britain faded in Rio.

Ko defied strong winds at Reserva de Marapendi to surge through the field with a flawless 65, which included an ace from 140 yards on the eighth in a front nine of 29.

The 19-year-old New Zealander could only manage nine straight pars on the back nine as the wind strengthened, but that was enough to end the day in joint second place, two shots behind seventime major winner Inbee Park.

South Korea’s Park, who was under pressure to give up her place in the Games as she battles a thumb injury, carded six birdies and five bogeys to finish 11 under par, with Ko and American Gerina Piller – who has never won a pro tournament – on nine under.

Playing alongside Park in the final group, Hull carded an erratic 74 featuring four birdies and seven bogeys to finish five under par, four shots out of the medal positions. Scottish team-mate Catriona Matthew fared even worse with a 77 to lie one over.

Ko’s hole-in-one was not the first of the day, China’s Xiyu Lin having aced the same hole earlier, but it was surprisingly the first of the two-time major winner’s career.

“I could not believe it when the ball disappeared,” she said. “I almost did not know how to react. I would have loved to have done a dance or jump up and down but I did not want to look stupid if it was just close to the hole.

“It was the perfect shot at the perfect time and to do that at the Olympics, it does not get any better than that.”

Hull insisted her chances of emulating Justin Rose in winning gold had not disappeared, saying: “You don’t really look at the gold being gone because it’s not. It’s only six ahead.

“You don’t really think about playing for third because if you do and come up short, what’s the point? You search for first place and if you come up short you’ve still won a medal.”

Picture: Getty Images. Lydia Ko with the ball that found the cup on the eighth hole for her first hole-in-one.