Lydia Ko’s title hopes all but over after third round at Evian Championship – صحيفة الصوت

Lydia Ko’s hopes of breaking a six-year major drought look to be over.

Despite a hot start and finish to her third round overnight (NZ time) in France, the Kiwi world No 4 was unable to make any headway on moving day.

In fact, with her three-under 68, she is exactly where she started her third round – in a tie for 11th, seven strokes off the pace, set by Brooke Henderson, the Canadian holding a two-shot advantage going into the final day.

Ko looked to be right on the charge as she went about staying in contention for a third major title, and a second Evian Championship crown since she secured a maiden major title triumph there in 2015.

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In birdying the first three par-fours of her round, on holes one, three and four, she catapulted into a tie for fourth, three shots off the lead.

But that turned out to be as close as she came to the front. After four straight pars, disaster struck on the ninth, with a double bogey seven, then two holes later the 25-year-old also dropped another shot.

Unlike her second round, she was able to produce a fine finish to dig herself out of trouble, with birdies at 14, 17 and 18 to get her to 10-under overall.

At what is the fourth and penultimate women’s major of the year, Henderson’s three-under round has her at 17-under, two clear of South Korea’s So Yeon Ryu, who is two ahead of American Sophia Schubert.

World No 10 Henderson is chasing her second career major, and, like Ko, her first since 2016.

Meanwhile, Steve Alker is right in the hunt at The Senior Open in Scotland.

Sitting tied for 11th after two rounds, four shots off the pace, a four-under 66 third round overnight (NZT) catapulted the Kiwi to a share of third spot, and now just one stroke off the lead.

Alker mixed six birdies and two bogeys in his third round to now be eight-under overall, equal with American Jerry Kelly and hunting down co-leaders Paul Broadhurst, of England, and Darren Clarke, of Northern Ireland.

There are a host of familiar names two shots back at six-under – Ernie Els, Padraig Harrington, Colin Montgomerie, Stuart Appleby and Thongchai Jaidee.

Alker is hunting a fourth title for the season, and second major, at what is the PGA Tour Champions’ (50-years-plus tour) fifth and final major of the year.