South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai fared much better in the third round of the Evian Golf Championship series being played in Evian-les-Baines in France, but despite the 68 strokes she scored, she is still ten strokes behind the leader, Celine Boutier from France.
Buhai, who recorded scores of 72 and 72 in the first two rounds, finished on 212 shots (-1) in the clubhouse in this tournament, which is considered one of women’s golf’s Majors.
Boutier shot a third-round 67 and is three shots ahead of Japan’s Nasa Hataoka (205, -8) at 202 (-11) with Australia’s Min-Jee Lee and Canada’s Brooke Henderson (both 206, -7) which is joint third.
America’s Nelly Korda, who shot 64 in the third round, moved up to fifth with Japan’s Yuka Saso (both 207, -6).
South Africa’s Paula Reto is also firmly in the race at 211 (-2).
This money-rich tournament has prize money of $6.5 million (almost R114 million).
Hodges leads at 3M tournament
In the American PGA Series’ 3M tournament played at TPC Twin Cities in Minneapolis, 28-year-old American Lee Hodges leads by five shots after three rounds.
Unbeaten in 64 tournaments, Hodges’ previous best finish was joint third in the 2022 American Express Tournament.
Hodges finished on 193 strokes (-20) after posting scores of 63, 64 and 66 on his scorecard. His total after three rounds (193) is two strokes better than the previous lowest score (195) recorded by Scott Piercy last year.
Hodges is followed by compatriot JT Poston (198, -15), with defending champion Tony Finau in third place at 199 (-14).
South Africa’s Garrick Higgo finished on 205 (-8), with MJ Daffue on 207 (-6).
That’s how things stand at Sonskynreeks
In the local Sunshine Series’ Eswatini Challenge tournament decided at the Nkonyeni Country Club in Kholwane, 42-year-old Peter Karmis (Greece) clinched his seventh win in the series when he shot 70 in the third and final round.
Karmis finished on 206 strokes (-10), which is one stroke better than that of Stuart Krog of Zimbabwe (207, -9).
South Africa’s Matthew Spacey, who teed off with a four-shot lead in the final round on Saturday morning, played clay-footed and 76 shots. He finished third on 208 strokes (-8) together with Louis Albertse, CJ du Plessis and Ruan Korb.
Adam Breen, Louis Visser and Estiaan Conradie were together seventh on 209 (-7).
