Lee -Anne Pace has ground her way to inside the top 20 on Saturday after a third-round two-under-par 70 in the Ladies European Tour’s Hero Women’s Indian Open took her to one-under for the week and a share of 12th.
After three birdies on the front nine, Pace held it together on the homeward nine, but dropped a shot on the par-four 17th when she missed the green in regulation and couldn’t get up and down. But she overcame her shaky start of a two-over 74 with a second-round 71, and she heads into the final round 10 strokes behind the leader, Aline Krauter of Germany. Krauter’s 68 took her to 11-under, two clear of Sara Kjellker of Sweden.
“I’m really happy with my round,” the 23-year-old Krauter said. “I think my ball striking was good again today, same as the last couple of days. Nothing has really changed, but it was still really steady which is good on this course.”
She is attempting to win her first professional event this week. A victory would help secure Krauter’s Ladies European Tour status for 2024 and 2025 with the rookie having spent the majority of the year on the LPGA. She can follow in compatriot Olivia Cowan’s footsteps with a victory to become the second consecutive German winner of the Hero Women’s Indian Open.
