This is exactly the kind of board many in the game hoped to see in Paris.
Lydia Ko, who hopes to play her way into the LPGA Hall of Fame in the most epic manner – by winning gold – being chased by a who’s who cast of characters like world No. 1 Nelly Korda, Rose Zhang and Atthaya Thitikul. There’s a Cinderella story in co-leader Morgane Metraux, who ranks well outside the top 100 and and has won on the Epson Tour and LET but never the LPGA.
There’s mom Mariajo Uribe, who delayed retirement by three years to play this week and plans to end her career after tomorrow’s final round no matter what happens. She’s in prime position to give Colombia it’s third medal of the Paris Games.
Frenchwoman Celine Boutie is looking for a final-round surge a la countryman Victor Perez.
It’s a beautifully diverse board, both in background and flag, and more star power than the LPGA has enjoyed in any of its previous majors this season.
Ko, one of the most popular players on tour for more than a decade, has a chance to do something Saturday that might not ever be repeated in golf – win a third different Olympic medal.
“It’s really cool that if I did win the gold, I could get in the Hall of Fame, and it would stop all these questions, like from you in the future,” she told the press after the round.
“I feel like if it’s going to happen, whether it’s in Paris or in Florida or in Scotland, it’s going to happen. And I’m just excited that I have this opportunity.”
Hall of fame: Where does Lydia Ko, Lexi Thompson, Nelly Korda stand?
Here are five things to know going into the final round of the Paris Olympics:
Morgane Metraux of Switzerland on No. 3 in the third round of women’s individual stroke play during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Le Golf National. (Katie Goodale-USA TODAY Sports)
Morgane Metraux eagled the 18th hole to reclaim a share of the lead with New Zeland’s Ko, a 20-time winner on the LPGA who cheered for Metraux every set of the way. Currently No. 137 in the Rolex Rankings, Metraux first earned LPGA membership after finishing ninth on the Epson Tour’s Race for the Card in 2021. She’s never before found herself in this kind of spotlight, and so far, the Swiss player has risen beautifully to the challenge.
“I was a lot more calm and serene than I thought I was going to be,” said Metraux. “It was really helping playing with girls I knew and are super nice, too.”
While Metraux’s big…
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