Lydia Ko, Morgane Metraux locked at the top ahead of final round at Paris Olympics
Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines, France
SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France – New Zealand’s Lydia Ko boosted her bid to complete the full set of Olympic medals as she moved into a share of the lead with Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux after the third round of the women’s golf competition.
The two-time major winner appeared set to hold the outright lead with one day to play until surprise act and playing partner Metraux produced an eagle at the par-five 18th to join her at 9 under after 54 holes.
Ko, who is bidding to become the first woman in the modern Olympic golf era to win three straight medals (she won silver at Rio 2016 and bronze at Tokyo 2020), mixed three birdies with a lone bogey at the seventh to turn in 2-under. She then cancelled out a birdie at the 10th with a bogey at the 12th, before birdieing the 17th to take a two-shot lead to the last.
It was then that Metraux, who had been in the shadows of others for most of Friday, produced her best moment of the round as she backed up an excellent approach at the final hole with an equally impressive 20-foot putt for eagle to record a 1-under 71.
While it was not as eye-catching as Thursday’s 6-under 66, in which she played the front nine in 28 blows, world No. 137 Metraux showed her resolve after her round threatened to unravel with three bogeys in a four-hole stretch from holes 10-13.
Two shots adrift sit their nearest challengers in Rose Zhang of USA and Japan’s Miyu Yamashita, another Olympic debutant.
Zhang made eagles at the 14th and 18th in her 67 that also included a double bogey at the par-4 15th, while Yamashita – two years her senior at 23 – posted a 4-under 68.
The Japanese was one of just two bogey-free rounds on Friday, with the other going to Canada’s Brooke Henderson as she hit a 5-under 67 to leave herself at 2 under.
Defending gold medalist Nelly Korda sits in a four-way tie at 7 under after a third-round 70, along with France’s Celine Boutier and China’s Xiyu Lin and Ruoning Yin.
Australia’s Hannah Green carded the best round of the day with a 6-under 66 that featured seven birdies and a stunning 153-yard, hole-out eagle at the par-4 17th to climb into a tie for 11th.
Other Notes and Quotes
- Two bogey-free rounds on Friday: Miyu Yamashita (4-under 68), Brooke Henderson (5-under 67); three total bogey-free rounds for the week (Ruoning Yin/R2)
- First time the 54-hole leader is different from the 36-hole leader; Nelly Korda (2020) and Inbee Park (2016) held the 36- and 54-hole leads in their respective women’s Olympic golf victories
- Third consecutive occurrence of the women’s 54-hole lead being at least two strokes (2016/2 strokes/Inbee Park; 2020/3 strokes/Nelly Korda)
- Mariajo Uribe carded three birdies and two bogeys (1-under 71) to sit solo sixth after 54 holes; four strokes out of the gold medal position. Uribe plans to retire from professional golf following the 2024 women’s Olympic golf competition
- “I’m not thinking much about [retirement]. When I see other athletes retire this week, I saw the wrestling guy and all the other guys, it was a little tough. But it’s been a normal week and just trying to enjoy it. It’s a pretty special week for all of the girls, but of course I think it’s going to be a little hard tomorrow when that last putt falls. No matter what happens, it’s going to be an emotional day. But right now, I feel calm and excited for it.”
- Rolex Rankings No. 1 and Olympic Golf Ranking No. 1 Nelly Korda posted a second-straight 70 and is 4-under overall (T7); round included three bogeys (two in her first three holes) five birdies (Nos. 6, 7, 9, 14 and 15). Looking to be the first Olympic golfer ever with two gold medals
- “We’ll see how it goes. I’m giving myself a chance. As of right now, I think I’m four back, so anything can happen. Scottie was nine back, or whatever he was at, and he ended up winning.”
- Celine Boutier (T7/-4) is the top Frenchwoman after carding a 1-under 71 in the third round
- Hannah Green (T11/-3) shot the lowest round of the day with a 6-under 66 even with three bogeys on the card (seven birdies, one eagle); finished T5 in Tokyo
- “The camaraderie off the course with the rest of the Aussie team has been really good. It’s been really fun; we don’t really talk much golf. We try and enjoy each other’s company because it doesn’t really happen too much that we are all in one dinner table and one hotel room. It’s been really fun and it’s been a nice way to switch off. I think if I was perhaps staying by myself, I’d be thinking about tomorrow’s result a little bit more, which I don’t think is a good thing.”
