Lydia Ko’s title hopes are almost over after round three at Evian Championship

Lydia Ko’s hopes of breaking through a six-year major drought seem over.

Despite a hot start and finish to her third round at night (NZ time) in France, the No. 4 Kiwi World was unable to make any progress on move day.

In fact, at her three-under 68, she is right where she started her third round – in a tie for 11th, seven strokes off the paceset by Brooke Henderson, the Canadian with a two-shot lead going into the final day.

Ko appeared to be right on offense as she stayed in the race for a third major title and second Evian Championship crown since taking her first major title win there in 2015.

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Birdying the first three par-fours of her round on holes one, three and four, she catapulted into a tie for fourth, three shots from the lead.

But that turned out to be as close as she came forward. After four straight pairs, disaster struck on the ninth, with a double bogey seven, and two holes later, the 25-year-old dropped another shot.

Unlike her second round, she was able to produce a fine finish to get herself out of trouble, birdies on 14, 17 and 18 to take her to 10-under overall.

In what is the fourth and penultimate major of the year for women, Henderson has her 17-under in the three-under round, two ahead of South Korean So Yeon Ryu, who is two ahead of American Sophia Schubert.

World No 10 Henderson is chasing her second career major, and, like Ko, her first since 2016.

Meanwhile, Steve Alker is on the hunt for The Senior Open in Scotland.

Sitting in 11th place after two rounds, four shots off the pace, a four-under 66 third round overnight (NZT) catapulted the Kiwi to a share of third, and now just one stroke off the lead.

Alker mixed six birdies and two bogeys in his third round and is now eight-under overall, equaling American Jerry Kelly and chasing co-leaders Paul Broadhurst, of England, and Darren Clarke, of Northern Ireland.

There are a host of household names two shots back at six-under – Ernie Els, Padraig Harrington, Colin Montgomerie, Stuart Appleby and Thongchai Jaidee.

Alker is chasing a fourth title for the season, and a second major, in what is the PGA Tour Champions’ (50-year tour) fifth and final major of the year.