James has two shots to make up if he is to
win Challenge Tour event in France
From Paul Symes, European Challenge Tour Press Officer
Lee S James will have to overturn a two-shot deficit on the final day of the Allianz Open Côtes d’Armor Bretagne if he is to capture his fifth Challenge Tour title.
On another windswept day at Golf Blue Green de Pléneuf Val André in Brittany, France, Florian Fritsch of Germany moved to the head of affairs on six under par, two clear of a trio of players which includes former British Amateur champion James.
The man from Dorset was joined on four under par by home hope Julien Guerrier, who matched James’ round of 71, and Sweden’s Joel Sjoholm, whose superb round of 66 was the joint lowest of the day with Fritsch.
Despite a bogey at the last hole, James still professed himself pleased with a round which keeps him in contention to capture his first title since August 2002, when he won the Finnish Challenge.
He said: “Although my score might not necessarily show it, I actually played pretty well today. Obviously I was pretty disappointed to drop a shot on the last, but overall I was pleased with how I struck the ball. I struggled on the greens again today, but sometimes the putts just don’t drop for you. If I putt tomorrow like I did on the first day, I’ll have half a chance.
“In a funny sort of way I hope the wind does blow again tomorrow, because I don’t mind playing in those sort of conditions. It obviously penalises those guys who can hit it a long way, but I’m not really one of them! I’m two shots behind, but if it’s windy again that can disappear in a second.
"If it’s calm like it was on the first day, I’m probably going to have to shoot five or six under to win. So I’ll assess the situation tomorrow. I’ll probably play steady to begin with, then hopefully take my chances as and when they come along.”
Hoping to deny James a fifth victory is Challenge Tour rookie Fritsch, who only turned professional last year. The 23 year old from Munich, who has spent the last few years playing on the college circuit in America, continued the fine form which saw him capture his first professional title on Germany's EPD Tour last week.
Like James, Fritsch also bogeyed the 18th hole, but an earlier eagle and four birdies have put him in sight of a maiden Challenge Tour title on his first appearance as a professional.
He said: “It’ll be a fairly new experience for me to play in the final group, but it’s something I’m looking forward to. It should be a lot of fun. Obviously I played in the last group on the final day of the EPD event I won last week, but if I’m being honest I probably didn’t expect to find myself in the same situation so soon.
"So it’s a bit of a surprise in a way, because obviously it’s a step up on the Challenge Tour. But in some ways it’s not a surprise, because I knew my game was in good shape coming into the week. I’m not really sure how I’ll react, although I’m sure the adrenaline will be pumping. We’ll find out more tomorrow!”
Scots Eric Ramsay from Carnoustie and Peter Whiteford are seven shots off the pace, both on the 211 mark. Ramsay needs to reverse the trend of his scores: 68-71-72 while Whiteford (70-70-71) will be looking to break 70 for the first time to get into the top 10 finishers.
HOW THEY STAND AFTER THREE ROUNDS
Par 210 (3x70)
204 F Fritsch (Ger) 65 73 66,
206 J Sjöholm (Swe) 66 74 66, J Guerrier (Fra) 66 69 71, L James (Eng) 65 70 71,
207 J Parry (Eng) 67 68 72,
208 T Feyrsinger (Aut) 69 69 70, F Praegant (Aut) 70 71 67, A Marshall (Eng) 70 68 70, J Quesne (Fra) 67 69 72, J Lima (Por) 68 70 70,
209 A Tampion (Aus) 68 68 73,
210 O Suhr (Den) 65 76 69, J Larsen (Nor) 67 71 72, P Golding (Eng) 69 72 69, R Kilpatrick (Nir) 69 72 69, S Jeppesen (Swe) 65 70 75, V Dubuisson (am) (Fra) 66 77 67,
211 N Joakimides (Fra) 69 72 70, B Alvarado (Chi) 71 70 70, L Brovold (Nor) 70 73 68, D Nouailhac (Fra) 70 68 73, E Ramsay (Sco) 68 71 72, P Whiteford (Sco) 70 70 71, A Butterfield (Eng) 75 69 67,
212 N Colsaerts (Bel) 68 73 71, P Relecom (Bel) 70 70 72, M Korhonen (Fin) 69 72 71, C Brazillier (Fra) 68 75 69,
213 D Küpper (Ger) 69 72 72, A Murray (Irl) 67 72 74, B Mason (Eng) 71 70 72, G Davies (Eng) 70 70 73, R Steiner (Aut) 73 71 69, G Houston (Wal) 75 69 69, P Gustafsson (Swe) 70 70 73, N Smith (USA) 70 74 69, R Coles (Eng) 66 76 71,
214 G Plumet (Fra) 69 71 74, L Kennedy (Eng) 69 74 71, A Gee (Eng) 68 73 73, A Hansen (Den) 67 74 73, J Ruth (Eng) 70 73 71, V Riu (Fra) 64 73 77,
215 P Del Grosso (Arg) 70 74 71, A Willey (Eng) 73 70 72, T Haylock (Eng) 68 71 76, M Mills (Eng) 70 74 71, F Calmels (Fra) 70 71 74, B Lecuona (Fra) 70 72 73, P Rowe (Eng) 69 72 74, A Kaleka (am) (Fra) 68 71 76
216 J Remesy (Fra) 73 69 74, T Whitehouse (Eng) 70 71 75, F Cupillard (Fra) 72 72 72, A Bruschi (Ita) 71 73 72, B Hebert (Fra) 69 73 74
217 M Ford (Eng) 71 70 76, A Zanini (Ita) 73 70 74, R Steele (Eng) 70 71 76, A Mellor (Eng) 71 72 74
218 J Sköld (Swe) 72 72 74, J Billot (Fra) 68 73 77, J Guillet (Fra) 70 73 75, M Zions (Aus) 65 79 74, A Joudar (Mar) 71 73 74, I Pyman (Eng) 70 74 74
219 M Haastrup (Den) 69 74 76
220 B Miarka (Ger) 66 77 77
221 C Suneson (Esp) 71 72 78, G Hutcheon (Sco) 69 74 78
222 J Blaauw (RSA) 69 72 81
223 A Bernadet (Fra) 69 74 80
225 D Ulrich (Sui) 69 75 81
226 F Schoettel (Fra) 69 72 85
win Challenge Tour event in France
From Paul Symes, European Challenge Tour Press Officer
Lee S James will have to overturn a two-shot deficit on the final day of the Allianz Open Côtes d’Armor Bretagne if he is to capture his fifth Challenge Tour title.
On another windswept day at Golf Blue Green de Pléneuf Val André in Brittany, France, Florian Fritsch of Germany moved to the head of affairs on six under par, two clear of a trio of players which includes former British Amateur champion James.
The man from Dorset was joined on four under par by home hope Julien Guerrier, who matched James’ round of 71, and Sweden’s Joel Sjoholm, whose superb round of 66 was the joint lowest of the day with Fritsch.
Despite a bogey at the last hole, James still professed himself pleased with a round which keeps him in contention to capture his first title since August 2002, when he won the Finnish Challenge.
He said: “Although my score might not necessarily show it, I actually played pretty well today. Obviously I was pretty disappointed to drop a shot on the last, but overall I was pleased with how I struck the ball. I struggled on the greens again today, but sometimes the putts just don’t drop for you. If I putt tomorrow like I did on the first day, I’ll have half a chance.
“In a funny sort of way I hope the wind does blow again tomorrow, because I don’t mind playing in those sort of conditions. It obviously penalises those guys who can hit it a long way, but I’m not really one of them! I’m two shots behind, but if it’s windy again that can disappear in a second.
"If it’s calm like it was on the first day, I’m probably going to have to shoot five or six under to win. So I’ll assess the situation tomorrow. I’ll probably play steady to begin with, then hopefully take my chances as and when they come along.”
Hoping to deny James a fifth victory is Challenge Tour rookie Fritsch, who only turned professional last year. The 23 year old from Munich, who has spent the last few years playing on the college circuit in America, continued the fine form which saw him capture his first professional title on Germany's EPD Tour last week.
Like James, Fritsch also bogeyed the 18th hole, but an earlier eagle and four birdies have put him in sight of a maiden Challenge Tour title on his first appearance as a professional.
He said: “It’ll be a fairly new experience for me to play in the final group, but it’s something I’m looking forward to. It should be a lot of fun. Obviously I played in the last group on the final day of the EPD event I won last week, but if I’m being honest I probably didn’t expect to find myself in the same situation so soon.
"So it’s a bit of a surprise in a way, because obviously it’s a step up on the Challenge Tour. But in some ways it’s not a surprise, because I knew my game was in good shape coming into the week. I’m not really sure how I’ll react, although I’m sure the adrenaline will be pumping. We’ll find out more tomorrow!”
Scots Eric Ramsay from Carnoustie and Peter Whiteford are seven shots off the pace, both on the 211 mark. Ramsay needs to reverse the trend of his scores: 68-71-72 while Whiteford (70-70-71) will be looking to break 70 for the first time to get into the top 10 finishers.
HOW THEY STAND AFTER THREE ROUNDS
Par 210 (3x70)
204 F Fritsch (Ger) 65 73 66,
206 J Sjöholm (Swe) 66 74 66, J Guerrier (Fra) 66 69 71, L James (Eng) 65 70 71,
207 J Parry (Eng) 67 68 72,
208 T Feyrsinger (Aut) 69 69 70, F Praegant (Aut) 70 71 67, A Marshall (Eng) 70 68 70, J Quesne (Fra) 67 69 72, J Lima (Por) 68 70 70,
209 A Tampion (Aus) 68 68 73,
210 O Suhr (Den) 65 76 69, J Larsen (Nor) 67 71 72, P Golding (Eng) 69 72 69, R Kilpatrick (Nir) 69 72 69, S Jeppesen (Swe) 65 70 75, V Dubuisson (am) (Fra) 66 77 67,
211 N Joakimides (Fra) 69 72 70, B Alvarado (Chi) 71 70 70, L Brovold (Nor) 70 73 68, D Nouailhac (Fra) 70 68 73, E Ramsay (Sco) 68 71 72, P Whiteford (Sco) 70 70 71, A Butterfield (Eng) 75 69 67,
212 N Colsaerts (Bel) 68 73 71, P Relecom (Bel) 70 70 72, M Korhonen (Fin) 69 72 71, C Brazillier (Fra) 68 75 69,
213 D Küpper (Ger) 69 72 72, A Murray (Irl) 67 72 74, B Mason (Eng) 71 70 72, G Davies (Eng) 70 70 73, R Steiner (Aut) 73 71 69, G Houston (Wal) 75 69 69, P Gustafsson (Swe) 70 70 73, N Smith (USA) 70 74 69, R Coles (Eng) 66 76 71,
214 G Plumet (Fra) 69 71 74, L Kennedy (Eng) 69 74 71, A Gee (Eng) 68 73 73, A Hansen (Den) 67 74 73, J Ruth (Eng) 70 73 71, V Riu (Fra) 64 73 77,
215 P Del Grosso (Arg) 70 74 71, A Willey (Eng) 73 70 72, T Haylock (Eng) 68 71 76, M Mills (Eng) 70 74 71, F Calmels (Fra) 70 71 74, B Lecuona (Fra) 70 72 73, P Rowe (Eng) 69 72 74, A Kaleka (am) (Fra) 68 71 76
216 J Remesy (Fra) 73 69 74, T Whitehouse (Eng) 70 71 75, F Cupillard (Fra) 72 72 72, A Bruschi (Ita) 71 73 72, B Hebert (Fra) 69 73 74
217 M Ford (Eng) 71 70 76, A Zanini (Ita) 73 70 74, R Steele (Eng) 70 71 76, A Mellor (Eng) 71 72 74
218 J Sköld (Swe) 72 72 74, J Billot (Fra) 68 73 77, J Guillet (Fra) 70 73 75, M Zions (Aus) 65 79 74, A Joudar (Mar) 71 73 74, I Pyman (Eng) 70 74 74
219 M Haastrup (Den) 69 74 76
220 B Miarka (Ger) 66 77 77
221 C Suneson (Esp) 71 72 78, G Hutcheon (Sco) 69 74 78
222 J Blaauw (RSA) 69 72 81
223 A Bernadet (Fra) 69 74 80
225 D Ulrich (Sui) 69 75 81
226 F Schoettel (Fra) 69 72 85
Labels: CHALLENGE TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Saturday, May 16, 2009
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