Lydia Ko’s ace vaults her into Olympic contention

Inbee Park retained her lead in the women’s golf competition at Rio 2016, but Lydia Ko carded a sublime six-under 65 to close on top spot, the world number one’s round including a hole-in-one moments after Lin Xiyu made history with a first women’s Olympic ace.

She made a hole-in-one.

Starting the day seven strokes behind Park, Ko aced the par-3 eighth hole and added four birdies on a blistering bogey-free front nine.

The field of 59 players is seeking to win the first women’s golf event at the Olympics since the 1900 Paris Games. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget it, especially with it being a pretty tough hole.

Ko began the third round seven shots off the lead held by seven-time major victor Inbee Park, but raced to the turn in just 29 shots at Reserva de Marapendi. “I’ve put myself in a good position going into tomorrow and still have a chance to be standing on that podium”.

Park, who teed off later, was at 12-under after she birdied two of her first three holes.

“To have my first hole-in-one at the Olympics is really cool”.

American Stacy Lewis and England’s Charley Hull, who were in the final group with Park, were also nine under par, Hull making a birdie on the first and saving par on the third after her drive finished inches from the lake to the left of the fairway.

“I haven’t been the luckiest person with hole-in-ones but for me to do it here this week is fantastic”. “I’ll take that one”. “To be here and especially on the first day, the first hole, I nearly needed to pinch myself if I was really here in Rio and really competing in the Olympics. The other girls are playing some great golf and I hopefully I’ll be able to do the same”.