JEDDAH: A course record-equaling 63 from Lydia Ko has the New Zealander in firm control heading into the final day of the $1 million Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by the Public Investment Fund.
The former World No. 1 carded five birdies on both the front and back nine at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club to lead by four with one round to play.
Sitting at -16, the 24 year old will look to hold off a final day push from Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul, whose scintillating 65 propelled her into lone second.
England’s Alice Hewson sits two further back on -10, with Spaniards Carlota Ciganda and Nuria Iturrioz both on -9.
“I played really solid today,” said Ko, who tied Australian Steph Kyriacou’s record low round at Royal Greens. “I missed a short putt for par on three and then went on a stretch of birdies. I gave myself a lot of good looks for birdie opportunities and I was rolling it well, so it was a good combination of everything, where I wasn’t making many mistakes. It was that kind of a round where I just kept putting myself in position, trying to play the best golf I can.
“I’ve got to keep playing aggressively. This is a course where you’ve seen players can play well so I’m just trying to make my share out there and see what happens.”
Atthaya Thitikul — who looks set to be crowned the LET’s Race to the Costa del Sol champion after her low round on Saturday — said: “I feel pretty good about my round today. My putter was on fire. I’ll keep trying to roll in my putts tomorrow and keep making as many birdies as I can, staying focused.”
On her final day playing partner Lydia Ko, Thitikul added: “She is really solid. Her putter and short game is one of the best — she’s pretty good! I’ll learn from her tomorrow and I’m looking forward to it.”
After an opening day 75, a resurgent Georgia Hall went three-under-par on Friday, before going a further three better on Saturday, placing her in a busy chasing pack, albeit 10 off the top.
Hall said: “Today I could’ve been nine-under if I’m honest. I missed quite a few putts under 10 foot. But my game was a lot better today and I’m very happy with how I played.
“I had three weeks off so maybe just getting back into tournament mode took me a little bit more time than I thought. No matter how much you practice, competitions always feel different, so it’s just been getting my swing back into a good place.”
American Alison Lee — whose compatriot and playing partner Lyndsey Weaver found the tournament’s second hole-in-one en route to a one-under-par 71 — sits one better at -7, herself bouncing back from a day one five-over-par 77 with rounds of 65 and 67.
Lee said: “I feel like I played pretty solid today. My strength today was my putting. Long birdie putts, shaky par putts coming back — it was my savior today.
“I was very disappointed after the first round.
I feel like I’ve been playing really well and that was just one of those days a golfer has in their back pocket once in a while, it just kind of happens. Thankfully I recovered yesterday and hopefully I can put a good number up tomorrow.”
The Aramco Saudi Ladies International will be followed by the Aramco Team Series — Jeddah on Nov. 10-12, the last of four new $1 million team tournaments added to the Ladies European Tour this season.