Brooke Henderson holds on to two-shot lead at Evian Championship

Brooke Henderson stood over a birdie putt from 3 feet at the 18th green, a three-shot lead going into the final round of the Evian Championship seemingly at her mercy.

For the first time on Saturday — maybe all week, given her dominance of the fourth women’s major of the year — her putting stroke let her down.

Henderson missed it left, to gasps from spectators around the green at Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-Les-Bains. France. The Canadian couldn’t believe it. Probably those hoping to chase her down on Sunday, too.

Seeking her second major title after the Women’s PGA Championship in 2016, Henderson had to settle for a 3-under-par 68 in the third round and a two-shot lead on 17-under par — two off the 54-hole record for the tournament.

She is still in a position of strength after opening with two straight 64s, but that missed putt at No. 18 might prove costly.

The closest challengers to Henderson are a former No. 1 and a player breaking new personal ground at a major.

So Yeon Ryu, a two-time major winner from South Korea, shot 65 after three birdies on her last four holes and was alone in second place. The top-ranked player in 2017, when she won the ANA Inspiration for her second major, she hasn’t been in contention this deep into one of women’s golf’s biggest five tournaments for three years.

Two strokes further back on 13 under was Sophia Schubert, ranked No. 283 and without a top-50 finish in a major. The American birdied her last four holes for a 66 and was in new territory alone in third place in just her fifth appearance in a major.

Olympic champion Nelly Korda started the third round in second place, three strokes behind Henderson, but could shoot only even-par 71. Korda was on 11 under overall, six shots off the lead and in a five-way tie for sixth.

PGA — Scott Piercy shot a 5-under 66 at rain-soaked TPC Twin Cities in a round that was delayed more than 6 ½ hours to take a four-stroke lead into the final round of the 3M Open in Blaine, Minn.

Playing through a painful blister on his right heel, the 43-year-old Piercy had an 18-under 195 total. He has four PGA Tour victories.

“I’ve had my struggles and to like prove and show that I can still do it and can do it is a big confidence boost,” Piercy said

Emiliano Grillo was second after a 67. Tony Finau and Doug Ghim were tied for third, five strokes back. They each shot 65.

Play was suspended for 6 hours, 38 minutes.

Piercy played through the blister that he said developed yesterday after wearing a new pair of shoes.

After opening with two pars, Piercy birdied the next five holes before play was suspended. The run began with an 18-foot putt on the par-4 third. . Piercy converted the next four birdies, all with putts inside 15 feet.

It was only after that the pain from the blister crept in, so much so that he took off his shoe in between every shot up until the 14th hole.

“When you walk that weird, your body kind of adjusts, so putting the shoe back up on and trying to get set up over it correctly,” Piercy said. “I felt like I couldn’t get into my setup like I normally do and I felt that’s like where a couple of the loose shots came from, along with the tiredness.”

Piercy was even par over his final 11 holes, making a bogey on the par-5 18th. He went for the green in two and hit short into the water.

It’s the sixth time Piercy has held at least a share of the 54-hole lead, the last coming at the 2016 WGC Bridgestone Invitational. He’s won two of those events, the 2011 Barracuda Championship and the 2015 Barbasol Championship. His last victory came in the 2018 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, where he teamed with Billy Horschel.

Seniors — Darren Clarke’s bid for a first senior major title wobbled as he lost his overnight two-shot lead at the Senior British Open and Paul Broadhurst pulled level at 9 under overall after the third round at Gleneagles, Scotland.

Clarke needed a birdie on the last hole to catch Broadhurst, who posted a 4-under 66 to Clarke’s 69.

“I’ve gone out there and I’ve played nicely all day. I’ve given myself chance after chance. I’ve hit good putts,” Clarke said. “I’ve hit 17 greens leading the tournament and played lovely. At least one decided to go in at the last.”

Clarke dropped shots on the 12th and 13th holes but steadied himself to stay in contention for another trophy after winning the British Open’s Claret Jug in 2011.

“It would be pretty cool to have both of them sitting beside each other,” he said. “I would love to win the Senior Open as well as the main Open.”

But Clarke and Broadhurst face a tough final round with New Zealand’s Steven Alker and American Jerry Kelly — both senior major champions — in a tie for third and only one behind them at 8 under.

Four-time major champion Ernie Els and three-time major winner Padraig Harrington are three strokes off the pace at 6 under, along with Colin Montgomerie, Stuart Appleby and Thongchai Jaidee.

“Just look at the leaderboard, some top names right behind me,” Broadhurst said. “I’m under no illusions, I’m going to have to go out and shoot a number tomorrow.”

Senior LPGA — Karrie Webb shot a 6-under 66 in windy and hot conditions to take a two-stroke lead over playing partner Annika Sorenstam in the Senior LPGA Championship.

Webb had six birdies in the bogey-free round in 100-degree heat and wind gusting to 30 mph. She was at 9 under with a round left at Salina Country Club.

European — Julien Guerrier moved in sight of his first win on the European tour after shooting 3-under 69 in the third round of the Cazoo Classic in Southport, England, to take a one-stroke lead.

Paul Waring, the No. 586-ranked leader after the first two rounds, shot only 72 and fell out of first place to be replaced by Guerrier, a French player ranked No. 454.

Richie Ramsay (67), Jens Dantorp (70) and Waring were tied for second place.

Girls Junior Amateur — Yana Wilson won the US Girls’ Junior Championship, rallying to beat Gianna Clemente 3 and 2 in hot conditions in the 36-hole final at The Club at Olde Stone in Bowling Green, Ky.

The 15-year-old Wilson, from Henderson, Nev., earned a spot next year in the US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach.

The 14-year-old Clemente is from Estero, Fla.

Wilson pulled even with a birdie win on the par-5 27th and took the lead with a par victory on the par-4 28th. She took the par-3 31st and par-5 33rd with birdies and ended the match with a par halve on the par-3 34th.