A disastrous back nine has sent Kiwi golfer Lydia Ko tumbling down the leaderboard at the US Open on Saturday (Sunday NZ time).
Ko started the day tied for 36th place but could make no headway through the third round of the major at the Olympic Club in San Francisco as she scored a five-over 76, leaving her on nine-over in a tie for 49th ahead of the final round on Sunday (Monday NZ time).
She mixed a bogey and a birdie on the front night to stay on her overnight score of four-over.
Lydia Ko endured a tough third round at the US Open.
But things quickly unravelled in the space of four holes for the world No 8.
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Ko bogeyed the 11th and 12th par fours before a double bogey at the par-three 13th. That was followed by another bogey at the 14th.
The New Zealander played out the final four holes to par, but the damage had been done as she recorded 41 for the back nine.
Jon Rahm had a massive lead ahead of the final round of the Memorial, but he tested positive for Covid-19 and was knocked out of the tournament.
She finished 16 shots behind the leader, Lexi Thompson of the United States, who heads to the final round on seven-under after a sublime 66, one shot clear of Yuka Sano of the Philippines.
Tied third on three-under are American amateur Megha Ganne and Jeongeun Lee6 of South Korea.
