Georgia Hall storms into the final day at the Aramco Saudi Ladies International with five-shot lead

JEDDAH: England’s Georgia Hall is well-placed after sailing into a five-shot lead ahead of Sunday’s final round at the $1million Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by the Public Investment Fund.

A near perfect 4 under-par 68 has put the 25-year-old firmly in control at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club on the Jeddah coast, as she seeks to claim what would be only her second Ladies European Tour win.

Hall famously won the 2018 Women’s Open at Royal Lytham, a triumph that remains her sole Major title.

That, however, looks set to change on Sunday, as the world #25 heads-out for her closing round on a course where she holds the women’s record.

Hall said: “That was probably the best long game performance I’ve had so far. I was pretty steady out there, not a lot went wrong. I could have holed a few more putts but it was a decent day.”

This is a tournament where Hall has twice come close, most notably losing out to Emily Kristine Pedersen in a play-off in 2020.

Asked how she will navigate Sunday’s final round, she said: “Just do the same thing, really. Eighteen holes is a lot. Just go out there and stay focused and hit one shot at a time, I think. Yeah, just enjoy it and see what happens.

“Obviously, I’ve played well here before, but every tournament I go out to win regardless of my past on it. So, yeah, just go out there, and until the last putt drops, keep focusing.”

Reigning AIG Women’s Open champion Anna Nordqvist is her closest challenger, five shots behind.

A birdie four from off the green on the 18th put the Swede on 5 under-par, one ahead of compatriot Johanna Gustavsson. Gustavsson had earlier set the day’s pace with a Saturday-low 67.

Nordqvist said: “I hit the ball really, really well on the front