Former major champion Hannah Green increases lead at Vic Open after 54 holes

BARWON HEADS, AUSTRALIA —  Former U.S. Women’s PGA champion Hannah Green shot a 4-under 68 and increased her lead to five strokes after three rounds of the Vic Open on Saturday.

Green, who won the Women’s PGA tournament on the LPGA Tour in 2019 at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota, had a 12-under par total of 205 at the 13th Beach Golf Links.

Karis Davidson (68) and Whitney Hillier (75) were tied for second. The Vic Open features a men’s and women’s tournament in mixed groups.

In the men’s event, John Lyras maintained his tournament-long lead with a 70 and a three-round total of 16-under 200. Fellow Australian Dimitrios Papadatos was a stroke behind after a 68, and four players were tied for third, two behind Lyras.

The top three finishers in the men’s tournament will qualify for the 150th British Open at St. Andrews, scheduled for July 14-17 on the Old Course. Following the cancellation of the New Zealand Open this year due to pandemic quarantine restrictions, the qualifying spots were allocated to the Vic Open.