By Gus Trompiz
GUYANCOURT, France (Reuters) – New Zealand’s Lydia Ko moved into a five-stroke lead during Saturday’s final round of the Olympic women’s golf tournament, closing in on a third straight medal as overnight co-leader Morgane Metraux of Switzerland ran into early trouble.
Ko, for whom gold in Paris would complete her Olympic set, shook off an opening hole bogey to shoot three birdies including an impressive 45 foot putt into the 7th hole to reach 11 under par after her front nine holes.
That left her in the outright lead as Metraux slumped to two bogies and one triple bogey in her first five holes before a series of pars to reach four under par at the turn.
Metraux, who surged into the lead on Thursday on the back of an Olympic nine-hole record of 28 during her second round, had also lost ground early on Friday before recovering by the close.
China’s Yin Ruoning bounced back from a disappointing third round but dropped two shots at the start of her back nine to reach six-under par, tied for second place with Germany’s Esther Henseleit.
The German charged into contention by smashing five birdies before suffering a first bogey on the 12th to also make six under.
Several players were tied in fourth one shot further back, promising a tense finish at Le Golf National.
That group included defending champion and world number one Nelly Korda of the United States, Australia’s Hannah Green and Canada’s Brooke Henderson.
The Olympic golf tournament uses a stroke play format, with the medallists taking the fewest shots over the four rounds.
If participants are tied in medal positions, a playoff will take place at the end of normal play around 6 p.m. (1600 GMT).
Finland’s Noora Komulainen, who had been in last place after Friday’s third round, withdrew ill before the start of play on Saturday to leave 59 players set to complete the competition.
(Reporting by Gus Trompiz; Editing by Alison Williams)
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