Aditi tied-33, Haeran Ryu storms into three-shot lead at Evian Championship

Evian Resort (France), July 12 (IANS) India’s Aditi Ashok carded a steady two-under 69 in the third round of the Amundi Evian Championship to move up to tied-33rd, while South Korea’s Haeran Ryu produced a record-breaking performance to seize a commanding three-shot lead heading into the final round of the year’s fourth women’s Major at Evian Resort Golf Club in France on Saturday.

Competing in her 38th Major, the most by any Indian golfer, male or female, Aditi improved marginally on her opening rounds of 70 and 70. She mixed four birdies with two bogeys to climb the leaderboard and remained in contention for a strong finish on the final day.

The Indian made an early birdie on the second hole before dropping a shot at the fourth. Another birdie at the seventh ensured she turned in one-under, and she repeated the pattern on the back nine with birdies at the 12th and 16th offsetting a bogey on the 14th to sign for a two-under round.

While Aditi quietly improved her position, the spotlight belonged to Haeran Ryu, who produced one of the greatest rounds in Major championship history.

The 25-year-old Korean fired an astonishing 11-under 60 to break the course record and surge to the top of the leaderboard at 19-under overall. The round also matched the lowest 54-hole aggregate in the tournament’s history, equalling the 19-under mark set by In Gee Chun in 2016.

Fresh from winning the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship just two weeks ago, Ryu now stands on the verge of claiming back-to-back Major titles.

Her remarkable round gathered momentum with birdies on the second and fifth holes before holing out for eagle on the sixth. She added birdies on the seventh and ninth to reach the turn at six-under for the day, then continued her charge with another birdie at the 10th, consecutive gains on the 14th and 15th, and a birdie on the 17th.

Needing an eagle on the final hole for a historic 59, Ryu narrowly missed the putt before tapping in for birdie to complete a sensational 60.

Japan’s Aki Iwai occupies second place at 16-under after returning a six-under 65, while Canada’s Brooke Henderson and Japan’s Mao Saigo share third on 12-under following rounds of 64 and 67 respectively.

South Africa’s Casandra Alexander climbed to fifth at 11-under with an eight-under 63, while Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul, Japan’s Miyu Yamashita and England’s Lottie Woad are tied for sixth on 10-under. Korea’s Jin Hee Im is ninth at nine-under.

England’s Cara Gainer, American Auston Kim, Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist and Japan’s Hinako Shibuno complete the top 10 on eight-under heading into Sunday’s final round.

–IANS

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