Olympics | Chinese female golfers set sights on medals in final round of Paris Olympics

Lin Xiyu of China competes during the women's individual stroke play round 3 of golf at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 9, 2024. (Xinhua/Ren Zhenglai)

PARIS, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese golfers Lin Xiyu and Yin Ruoning are both in strong contention for medals as the women's individual event at the Paris Olympics will enter its final round on Saturday at Le Golf National.

Lin delivered a solid performance in Friday's third round, shooting one under par to bring her total to four under par after three rounds.

She had recorded five birdies, including three consecutive ones on the back nine at holes 16-18. However, a double bogey at the 15th hole, along with two other bogeys, ultimately placed her in seventh, five shots behind the leaders.

"It's frustrating to have hit a double bogey at the 15th, but I set a goal to score two or three birdies after that, and I'm encouraged that I achieved it," Lin said.

Yin Ruoning of China competes during the women's individual stroke play round 3 of golf at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 9, 2024. (Xinhua/Ren Zhenglai)

Determined and resilient, Lin emphasized her never-say-die attitude, stating that she always seeks solutions to recover and excel, even on challenging courses.

She also hinted that this could be her final Olympic appearance, fueling her motivation to secure a medal in Saturday's decisive round.

Meanwhile, Yin Ruoning, who was in second place after Thursday's game, also found herself tied for 7th alongside Lin, France's Celine Boutier, and America's Nelly Korda. Yin struggled on Friday, carding three bogeys on both the front and back nine, which caused her to slip down the leaderboard.

Yin expressed disappointment with her performance, particularly her difficulty in finding the fairway from the tee, which hampered her game.

"My primary goal for tomorrow is to get the ball into the fairway. Only then can I aim for higher targets," Yin said. Despite the challenges, she remains optimistic, noting that the course's difficulty makes the game more enjoyable and plays to her strengths.

At the top of the leaderboard, Switzerland's Morgane Metraux and New Zealand's Lydia Ko are tied for first place with a total score of nine under par.