Meadow four off the lead ahead of final round in China as McKibbin also remains in hunt

STEPHANIE MEADOW IS four shots off the lead heading into the final round of the Blue Bay LPGA in China after shooting another 70 in the third round.

Meadow, who also opened with a 70, has moved to eight-under overall to keep her in touch with the leaders Lydia Ko of New Zealand and American duo Bailey Tardy and  Sarah Schmelzel who are all on 12-under.

The Antrim native picked up three birdies and a bogey on the 10th to join Sei Young Kim of South Korea in a tie for seventh place.

Top-ranked Lilia Vu withdrew from the tournament before the second round, opening the door for Celine Boutier of France to become world number one.

Meanwhile, Tom McKibbin has slipped back slightly to four shots off the lead at the at the Jonsson Workwear Open in South Africa. The Belfast native went into the third round in a tie for third, but is now joint seventh after a three-under-par third round.

After opening with a birdie on the first, McKibbin dropped a shot on the third before picking up another birdie on the sixth. Another bogey followed on the seventh but McKibbin picked up three shots on his back nine and finished strongly — birdieing 11, 17 and 18 — to remain in the hunt going into Sunday.

Italy’s former teen sensation Matteo Manassero leads the way on 20 under par for his tournament, with McKibbin level with South African Jacques Kruyswijk on 16 under.

Additional reporting by AFP

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