Elliott Heath
One of LIV Golf's biggest stars charged through the pack in the third-round of the men's Olympic golf tournament, maintaining his pursuit for a medal with one round to go.
Jon Rahm carded a sensational five-under-par 65 to end the penultimate round as joint-leader at Le Golf National. Seven birdies and two bogeys saw the Spaniard surge up the leaderboard and head into the final round with a great chance of securing Olympic gold.
Speaking after the third round, the recent LIV Golf UK winner said: "I've been playing good all year, but I haven't been able to give myself the best chances. For this last month, to be playing as good as I have, and slowly get better; the win last week, and give myself an opportunity this week, as well, is very, very gratifying. It's nice to see things going so well for the last month, and after having won to be in this position again so quickly."
Meanwhile, Niemann - who leads the LIV Golf money list after two early wins this season - maintained his 10th place position after returning a three-under-par 68 on moving day.
The Chilean carded four birdies and just a single bogey, and sits five shots off the pace set by Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele.
While there aren't too many LIV Golf names toward the top of the leaderboard, the PGA Tour contingent go into Sunday with a great chance. Xander Schauffele and Tommy Fleetwood represent the closest danger to Rahm, while Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy also lurk within touching distance.
Niemann will not give up, though, with the huge incentive of a place at all four Majors one of the perks of winning a gold medal.
"If you didn't have those four Majors for a win, I would have the same intensity," Niemann insisted.
"I will have the same motivation to win. I mean, I feel like this is Olympics and got to focus more on winning medals than winning my way into the Majors."
Meanwhile, David Puig and Carlos Ortiz are both back in a share of T23 on five-under, following a pair of 70s on Saturday. Two late bogeys for Puig will leave a sour taste, while two late birdies for Ortiz may just leave him feeling like he has a chance to do something special over the final 18-holes.
A low one on Sunday is needed to have any chance of a medal, but at this stage it looks unlikely for the pair.
Abraham Ancer is the final LIV golfer in the red as things stand, after posting consecutive rounds of level-par 71to sit in a tie for 38th place. The Mexican made an early bogey, before fighting back with two birdies on the back-nine. A late bogey on the 18th rather book-ended a particularly lacklustre round, leaving him stranded towards the wrong end of the leaderboard.
Struggling towards the bottom of the 60-man leaderboard are Chile's Mito Pereira and Poland's Adrian Meronk. Pereira (T55) is currently in last place among the LIV players following a disastrous couple of rounds, while Meronk - who would win a two-bed flat among other things with gold - carded a one-over-par 72 to slip to T50 in the standings.
LIV Golf leaderboard at the Olympics: Round 3
- T1: (-14) Jon Rahm
- T10: (-9) Joaquin Niemann
- T23: (-5) David Puig
- T23: (-5) Carlos Ortiz
- T38: (-1) Abraham Ancer
- T50: (+3) Adrian Meronk
- T55: (+6) Mito Pereira
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