Australians lining up for Evian title
Gabi Ruffels en route to a third round lead – image Mark Runnacles LET
Australia will stage a three-pronged bid for victory in tomorrow’s final round of the Amundi Evian Championship, with Victorian Gabi Ruffels tied in the lead with England’s Cara Gainer, but Perth’s Minjee Lee and Sydney’s Grace Kim just one off the pace.
Ruffels, a former winner and runner-up in the US Women’s Amateur Championship and now in her second season on the LPGA Tour, added a third round of 66 at Evian-les-Bains in France to join Gainer in the lead after the Englishwoman had earlier recorded a round of 64 to take the clubhouse lead.
Ruffel’s effort was made even more meritorious considering she started her round with a bogey at the first. Still, she would go on to add six birdies and she heads into tomorrow’s final round, not only chasing a first major title but a first LPGA title.
“Yeah, it was good,” said Ruffels. “Super solid. Started off with a bogey, but was able to kind of bounce back on No. 2.
“Then had I think six birdies from then on in. Putter was really good today. Made some about putts inside 15 feet and, yeah, was just super solid tee to green.
“I’m having so much fun. This is what you practice for, what you play for. I’ve been working so hard, and it’s great to see the hard work pay off. This is the position you want to be in. Yeah, for sure looking forward to tomorrow.”
The big threat to all in or near the lead however would appear to be Minjee Lee, who was also round in 66 to be just one behind as she chases a 4th major title and her second in succession, having won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship last month.
“I think after yesterday, I felt really proud of myself for fighting back after the start I had,” said Lee. “I just, I don’t know, I was like, I cannot end the round like this, so I just really fought back.
“I don’t know. I just felt like a good round today would put me in a pretty decent position come Sunday and I think I’ve done a pretty good job of that.”
When asked if her past experience here as a winner of the event and having made her professional debut in this event will help tomorrow, Lee responded;
“Yeah, definitely. I think just knowing the course. I mean, I’ve played it quite a few times now, so have quite a lot of rounds and been in a lot of different places.
I pretty much know what everything is going to do, so I think that helps like better places to put it or if you do miss it in a certain spot how to get up and down or how to use the contours of the greens.
“Yeah, I definitely think I have — I mean, yeah, not an advantage, but I definitely know where things are going, yeah.”
Grace Kim began the day with a share of the lead but her round of 70 left her just one behind and still in a great position to take advantage of what has been an impressive week to date.
Kim has been playing with a what would seem to be a cold of sorts but despite a frustrating day in many respects, a birdie at the last has kept her hopes of a first major and a second LPGA Tour title alive.
Eleven players, however, are within three shots of the lead and while the chances of an Australian victory look encouraging, there are many others who could make a bid for the 4th major of the year.
