Italian turns home-town event into a procession
Who's going to be second behind Edoardo Molinari?
From Paul Symes, European Challenge Tour Press Officer
Local hero Edoardo Molinari continued his dominance of the Piemonte Open after a scintillating round of 66 saw him establish a five-stroke lead over his nearest challenger, England’s Gary Boyd.
Following two successive rounds of 67 at Golf Club La Mandria in his hometown of Turin, Italy, the former US Amateur champion went one better to finish day three on 16 under par and move within sight of a third Challenge Tour title.
Molinari made the most of perfect playing conditions to post seven birdies and just one bogey in a round which matched the new course record set earlier in the day by his compatriot Matteo Delpodio.
He said: “My day probably could’ve been even better, because I missed a five foot putt for birdie at the 17th hole. But overall I putted quite well today, so I’m happy with my score. Tomorrow I’ve just got to keep playing my game. If I can get to 20 under par I think I’ll probably be out of sight, so that has to be my aim.
“Obviously you still have to be careful out there, because there are a few holes which can catch you out. For example on the third hole today, the pin was in a tough position so I just played safe to the middle of the green. You just have to be sensible sometimes, because there are lots of birdie chances out there.
“It should be good fun on the last day, and hopefully a few of the members will come out to watch. Gary’s a good guy and a great player, so it should be a good battle. We played together at the Russian Open last year, and although we were both struggling I could tell he was a very good player. So I’m looking forward to it.”
Seven birdies and two bogeys saw Tusker Kenya Open champion Boyd sign for a 67 for the second successive day.
The 22 year old led from the front in Kenya last month but will draw inspiration from his performance in the DHL Wroclaw Open last year, when he came within a shot of denying Gary Clark his maiden title after shooting a 63 on the final day.
Boyd said: “I didn’t really make many putts again today – most of my birdies were from close range. I’ve been struggling with my putter all year really, particularly in Brittany last week when I had 72 putts for the first two days to miss the cut. But if I can get it working tomorrow, I might have half a chance.
“It’s not going to be easy because Edoardo’s obviously playing very well, and it’s his home course so you would expect him to know it inside out. But golf’s a strange game – it can just as easily go the other way. Hopefully I can get into a position to put him under some pressure coming down the back nine. If you stray off line out there, it can cost you. Realistically I’ll probably have to shoot 65 to stand any chance, but it’s possible.”
His compatriot Andrew Butterfield is in a share of third place with France’s Benjamin Hebert after matching Boyd’s round of 67.
THIRD ROUND TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
200 E Molinari (Ita) 67 67 66
205 G Boyd (Eng) 71 67 67
207 B Hebert (Fra) 70 69 68, A Butterfield (Eng) 69 71 67
208 L Kennedy (Eng) 73 67 68, J Larsen (Nor) 67 69 72
209 G Molteni (Ita) 72 66 71, J Billot (Fra) 72 70 67
210 M Morris (Eng) 69 69 72, M Delpodio (Ita) 74 70 66, J Zapata (Arg) 70 70 70, M Soffietti (Ita) 68 71 71
211 R Steiner (Aut) 69 73 69, M Zions (Aus) 73 69 69,
212 O David (Fra) 68 73 71, F Fritsch (Ger) 71 71 70, C Russo (Fra) 71 71 70, N Colsaerts (Bel) 68 73 71, J Quesne (Fra) 71 69 72, L James (Eng) 71 71 70, J Guerrier (Fra) 70 72 70,
213 R Coles (Eng) 68 72 73, G Murray (Sco) 73 71 69, C Rodiles (Esp) 68 71 74, C Carranza (Arg) 70 73 70, F Calmels (Fra) 70 71 72, J Abbate (Arg) 73 71 69,
214 F Colombo (Ita) 71 70 73, J Arruti (Esp) 71 72 71, B Pettersson (Swe) 72 72 70, J Morrison (Eng) 74 68 72, A Marshall (Eng) 71 71 72, B Evans (Eng) 73 71 70, A Ahokas (Fin) 70 73 71, M Tullo (Chi) 72 72 70, G Shaw (Nir) 73 70 71, R McEvoy (Eng) 72 67 75, G Paddison (Nzl) 73 68 73,
215 A Hansen (Den) 72 72 71, A Bruschi (Ita) 72 69 74, G Gresse (Bel) 73 68 74, J Grillon (Fra) 72 71 72, M Higley (Eng) 72 71 72, A Bossert (Sui) 71 70 74, P Whiteford (Sco) 70 73 72,
216 V Riu (Fra) 74 70 72, J Clément (Sui) 71 71 74,
217 D Nouailhac (Fra) 74 69 74, D Marmion (Eng) 70 74 73, N Maestroni (Ita) 73 71 73, J McLeary (Sco) 72 72 73,
218 S Henry (Sco) 71 73 74, M Wiegele (Aut) 72 70 76, M Crespi (Ita) 69 74 75, J Sjöholm (Swe) 75 69 74, A Willey (Eng) 71 73 74, C Günther (Ger) 69 72 77,
219 F Svanberg (Sui) 76 68 75, G Hutcheon (Sco) 73 71 75,
220 A Grenier (Fra) 73 71 76, A Gee (Eng) 74 70 76,
221 R Kakko (Fin) 72 71 78,
From Paul Symes, European Challenge Tour Press Officer
Local hero Edoardo Molinari continued his dominance of the Piemonte Open after a scintillating round of 66 saw him establish a five-stroke lead over his nearest challenger, England’s Gary Boyd.
Following two successive rounds of 67 at Golf Club La Mandria in his hometown of Turin, Italy, the former US Amateur champion went one better to finish day three on 16 under par and move within sight of a third Challenge Tour title.
Molinari made the most of perfect playing conditions to post seven birdies and just one bogey in a round which matched the new course record set earlier in the day by his compatriot Matteo Delpodio.
He said: “My day probably could’ve been even better, because I missed a five foot putt for birdie at the 17th hole. But overall I putted quite well today, so I’m happy with my score. Tomorrow I’ve just got to keep playing my game. If I can get to 20 under par I think I’ll probably be out of sight, so that has to be my aim.
“Obviously you still have to be careful out there, because there are a few holes which can catch you out. For example on the third hole today, the pin was in a tough position so I just played safe to the middle of the green. You just have to be sensible sometimes, because there are lots of birdie chances out there.
“It should be good fun on the last day, and hopefully a few of the members will come out to watch. Gary’s a good guy and a great player, so it should be a good battle. We played together at the Russian Open last year, and although we were both struggling I could tell he was a very good player. So I’m looking forward to it.”
Seven birdies and two bogeys saw Tusker Kenya Open champion Boyd sign for a 67 for the second successive day.
The 22 year old led from the front in Kenya last month but will draw inspiration from his performance in the DHL Wroclaw Open last year, when he came within a shot of denying Gary Clark his maiden title after shooting a 63 on the final day.
Boyd said: “I didn’t really make many putts again today – most of my birdies were from close range. I’ve been struggling with my putter all year really, particularly in Brittany last week when I had 72 putts for the first two days to miss the cut. But if I can get it working tomorrow, I might have half a chance.
“It’s not going to be easy because Edoardo’s obviously playing very well, and it’s his home course so you would expect him to know it inside out. But golf’s a strange game – it can just as easily go the other way. Hopefully I can get into a position to put him under some pressure coming down the back nine. If you stray off line out there, it can cost you. Realistically I’ll probably have to shoot 65 to stand any chance, but it’s possible.”
His compatriot Andrew Butterfield is in a share of third place with France’s Benjamin Hebert after matching Boyd’s round of 67.
THIRD ROUND TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
200 E Molinari (Ita) 67 67 66
205 G Boyd (Eng) 71 67 67
207 B Hebert (Fra) 70 69 68, A Butterfield (Eng) 69 71 67
208 L Kennedy (Eng) 73 67 68, J Larsen (Nor) 67 69 72
209 G Molteni (Ita) 72 66 71, J Billot (Fra) 72 70 67
210 M Morris (Eng) 69 69 72, M Delpodio (Ita) 74 70 66, J Zapata (Arg) 70 70 70, M Soffietti (Ita) 68 71 71
211 R Steiner (Aut) 69 73 69, M Zions (Aus) 73 69 69,
212 O David (Fra) 68 73 71, F Fritsch (Ger) 71 71 70, C Russo (Fra) 71 71 70, N Colsaerts (Bel) 68 73 71, J Quesne (Fra) 71 69 72, L James (Eng) 71 71 70, J Guerrier (Fra) 70 72 70,
213 R Coles (Eng) 68 72 73, G Murray (Sco) 73 71 69, C Rodiles (Esp) 68 71 74, C Carranza (Arg) 70 73 70, F Calmels (Fra) 70 71 72, J Abbate (Arg) 73 71 69,
214 F Colombo (Ita) 71 70 73, J Arruti (Esp) 71 72 71, B Pettersson (Swe) 72 72 70, J Morrison (Eng) 74 68 72, A Marshall (Eng) 71 71 72, B Evans (Eng) 73 71 70, A Ahokas (Fin) 70 73 71, M Tullo (Chi) 72 72 70, G Shaw (Nir) 73 70 71, R McEvoy (Eng) 72 67 75, G Paddison (Nzl) 73 68 73,
215 A Hansen (Den) 72 72 71, A Bruschi (Ita) 72 69 74, G Gresse (Bel) 73 68 74, J Grillon (Fra) 72 71 72, M Higley (Eng) 72 71 72, A Bossert (Sui) 71 70 74, P Whiteford (Sco) 70 73 72,
216 V Riu (Fra) 74 70 72, J Clément (Sui) 71 71 74,
217 D Nouailhac (Fra) 74 69 74, D Marmion (Eng) 70 74 73, N Maestroni (Ita) 73 71 73, J McLeary (Sco) 72 72 73,
218 S Henry (Sco) 71 73 74, M Wiegele (Aut) 72 70 76, M Crespi (Ita) 69 74 75, J Sjöholm (Swe) 75 69 74, A Willey (Eng) 71 73 74, C Günther (Ger) 69 72 77,
219 F Svanberg (Sui) 76 68 75, G Hutcheon (Sco) 73 71 75,
220 A Grenier (Fra) 73 71 76, A Gee (Eng) 74 70 76,
221 R Kakko (Fin) 72 71 78,
Labels: CHALLENGE TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Friday, May 22, 2009
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