World golf No.1 Lydia Ko has failed to make ground on the leaders in the third round of the Australian Open.
Lydia Ko Photo: Photosport
Ko carded an even par 73 at the Royal Adelaide on Saturday, with birdies on the par four third and thirteenth holes, negated by bogies on the par four fifth and the par three sixteenth.
Her third round 73 was still an improvement on yesterday's 75 but short of her opening round 71.
Ko will start Sunday's final round at at even-par for which she blamed several near-misses with the putter.
"I felt like I putted, my stroke was good, and not many putts went in," Ko said.
"Hopefully I'm just saving it up for tomorrow.
"I have got one day to go and I think there are so many good things that are going right that hopefully it will all be able to come together."
After day three, Ko is in a tie for 35th, ten strokes behind the American leader Lizette Salas.
Lydia Ko reacts to missing a putt in Adelaide. Photo: Photosport
Despite her middling returns so far, Ko was heartened by her first outing with new clubs, a new caddie and a new coach.
"It takes time to get used to," she said.
"But with the clubs, actually it hasn't really taken a long time.
"Straight away I had a rough idea how far it was going and the flight itself. I have been loving the clubs ... so I think it's a great change and it has been exciting times.
"The equipment has been ... something that I can trust, even though it's only my first tournament with them."
- AFP, RNZ
