Daniel Hillier of New Zealand lines up a putt on day three of the BMW International Open. Photo / Getty Images
Daniel Hillier of New Zealand lines up a putt on day three of the BMW International Open. Photo / Getty Images
Kiwi golfer Daniel Hillier has given up the lead but remains in contention at the BMW International Open in Munich on the DP World Tour.
Hillier, who had a one-shot lead after day two, carded a more up-and-down one-under-par 71 in his third round - including four birdies, a bogey and a costly double on No 13 – to sit four shots back of the leader heading into the final round.
He and the rest of the field will be chasing Joost Luiten of the Netherlands, who carded a bogey-free seven-under 65 to match his lowest round of the season and take a three-shot lead into day four.
The 37-year-old Luiten is in prime position at 14 under to claim his seventh European Tour win and his first since 2018. Dutch compatriot Daan Huizing was his nearest challenger after a 66 in the third round.
Hillier, Thriston Lawrence of South Africa and Ryder Cup vice-captain Edoardo Molinari of Italy were tied for third at 10 under.
“Today was pretty much flawless,” Luiten said. “I didn’t really get into trouble that much and if I did miss the fairway, I hit a great shot and still created a birdie chance. I made some nice birdies coming down the last four or five holes.
“It would mean a lot to me to win but that’s not just me, that’s everybody. I need to keep my head cool.”
Lydia Ko’s chances of breaking her major drought at the Women’s PGA Championship are looking increasingly unlikely.
The World No 3 failed to shoot under par for the third round in a row at the Baltusrol Lower Course in Springfield, carding a one-over 72 to sit in a tie for 61st after her third round.
She is 13 shots behind leader Leona Maguire of Ireland, who birdied the final hole for her eighth straight round in the 60s and took a one-shot lead over fast-closing Jenny Shin on an unexpectedly sunny Saturday heading into the final round.
Lydia Ko in action at the Women's PGA Championship. Photo / Getty Images
Maguire, the halfway leader who is looking for her second straight win and first major title, had a two-putt birdie to finish an up-and-down third round of two-under 69. She has a 54-hole total of seven under on a Baltusrol course that was tough, but gettable, after two days of intermittent rain softened the greens.
Shin matched the best round of the tournament with a bogey-free 66 that featured five birdies. A 30-year-old South Korean who has lived in the United States since she was nine, Shin has not won on the LPGA Tour since 2016.
Stephanie Meadow of Northern Ireland, a close friend of Maguire, was alone in third place after a 68 put her at five-under 208. First-round leader Lee-Anne Pace (70) of South Africa and Ruoning Yin (69) of China were three shots back, and American Lauren Coughlin (68) and world No 1 Jin Young Ko (69) of South Korea were another stroke off the pace on a day in which forecast storms never developed.
With the threat of severe weather for the final round, the PGA announced play will start at 8.15am (12.15am), and the field will be grouped in threesomes playing off both nines. The leaders are scheduled to tee off at 10.38am (2.38am), with Maguire and Meadow playing with Shin.
Xiyu Lin, who started the round a shot behind Magurie, slipped to two-under 211 along with Americans Megan Khang and Mina Harigae and Yuka Saso of Japan.
Rose Zhang, who won in her professional debut earlier this month, got herself into contention at one-under with a 68, finishing with a tap-in eagle at the par-five 18th. The 20-year-old did a television interview, but walked away from media after her round.
Several players were within striking distance heading into the third round, but struggled.
Rookie Celine Borge of Norway shot at 74 and was at 212, a shot ahead of Brooke Henderson (72) of Canada and world No 5 Minjee Lee (75) of Australia.
Mel Reid of England, who was a shot off the lead after a second-round 67, needed 10 extra shots. Well, make that nine. She was accessed a one-stroke penalty for illegally lifting her ball on the fifth hole. She marked it and didn’t realise it was not on the green. She was at 215 with Gina Kim (74).
