Aditi slips on third day, as Boutier keeps lead at Evian]

Evian Les Bain (France), Jul 30 (PTI) Indian golfer Aditi Ashok had another rough round at a Major as she slipped to Tied-57th after carding a 3-over 74 on day three of the Amundi Evian Championship.

France’s Celine Boutier carded a 4-under 67 to maintain her second round lead.

She leads by three strokes at 11-under and is being chased by Nasa Hataoka, Minjee Lee, Brooke Henderson, Nelly Korda and Yuka Saso.

Playing in a steady drizzle on Saturday, Aditi, who is playing her 26th Major but still looking for a maiden Top-10 finish and a first win on the LPGA Tour, shot 3-over with three bogeys on sixth, 14th and 15th.

She did find most of the fairway, but missed a fair number of greens in regulation and the putting, which has been her strength, was tested severely on a tough course. She needed as many 33 putts.

Earlier, Diksha Dagar missed the cut. Both Diksha and Aditi will play the Women’s Scottish Open next week before the AIG Women’s Open.

Boutier began fast with a chip-in birdie on the second followed by birdies on 5th, 7th, and 9th to make the turn at 4-under. Her round slowed down as she made her only bogey of the day, and just her fourth bogey of the week, on the par-4 12th.

She finished her second nine at even with birdie on 15 to hold her second-ever 54-hole lead at a major championship.

Boutier is looking to claim her second LPGA Tour victory of the season, and fourth of her career.

Six-time LPGA Tour winner and Japanese golfer Nasa Hataoka carded a second-round 67 to move her way into the final grouping.

In third place are 2021 winner Minjee Lee and defending champion Brooke Henderson. Both players seemed more comfortable with Evian Resort Golf Club, firing rounds of 66 and 67, respectively.

Lee’s 66 with seven birdies ties for the second-best round this week and ties for the most birdies seen in a single round on the third day.

Henderson’s third-round 67 included nine-hole scores of 29 and 38, with seven birdies as well. Her front-nine score of 29 ties with 10 other players in LPGA Tour history for the lowest nine-hole score in women’s major.

World No. 2 Korda, who tied the lowest round of the week (64) on the third day, and 2021 U.S. Women’s Open champion Yuka Saso (71) are tied fifth and also in contention.