Sharmila Nicollet's even-par round takes her to tied 24th, eyes strong finish at Australian Ladies Classic golf

Sharmila Nicollet. (Twitter)

Bonville: Sharmila Nicollet made steady progress after with an even-par third round at Australian Ladies Classic in Bonville on Saturday. Sharmila's score is now two-over 218 and is tied-24th - an eight place-jump from tied 32nd in her first Ladies European Tour event of the season. The steady game indicated she could look at further improvement on the final day.

Meanwhile, France's C'line Boutier kept her composure throughout heavy tropical downpours to post a five-under-par 67 on day three. At 11-under-par, the 24-year-old will take a five-stroke lead into the final round ahead of the halfway leader Holly Clyburn from England, with a further four players a stroke back.

On a wet day in Bonville, Sharmila had two bogeys and two birdies. She bogeyed the third and then had a string of seven pars before she birdied the 11th and added a second birdie on 14th but a bogey on 16th was a dampner towards the end. "The game is getting better and I am looking for a strong finish in the final round," said Sharmila.

Boutier, who claimed her first LET title at the Sanya Ladies Open in China in November, teed off in light drizzle and promptly birdied the first hole at Bonville Golf Resort, which Clyburn bogeyed to fall into a share of the lead.

As the other players struggled in the difficult conditions, Boutier remained unfazed and birdied the fourth, seventh and ninth holes, to make the turn in 31 with a two-stroke cushion. Although she bogeyed the par-3 on the 11th hole, the Englishwoman played the next four holes in four-over-par as she birdied the 14th to grab a four-stroke advantage. Both players closed their rounds with birdies on the long 18th.

Clyburn, who began the day with a two-stroke lead, was disappointed with her third round 74, which included a double bogey at 15. Katie Burnett of the United States (68), Daniela Holmqvist of Sweden (70), Valdis Thora Jonsdottir of Iceland (72) and Olivia Cowan from Germany (73) all ended on five-under, a stroke ahead of the leading Australian, Hannah Green.