EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR
McArthur's putter cold as he finishes
third day five behind leader Kaleka
From: Press Officer Roddy Williams
Scot Andrew McArthur was left to rue another bad day with the putter as he finished the third round of the European Challenge Tour's ALLIANZ EurOpen de Lyon five strokes adrift of the leaders.
McArthur, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, posted a one under par 70 to lie at eight under 205 and has plenty of work to do to catch the leading pair of Frenchman Alexandre Kaleka and Dane Anders Schmidt Hansen on Sunday at Golf du Gouverneur in Monthieux.
Kaleka, who has led from the start on his professional debut, shot a 70 while Hansen drew level at 13 under par 200 with a 69.
“I have just holed nothing for the past two days,” said McArthur. “I gave myself chances but the putts have not dropped, although the most disappointing thing was the double bogey at the end of the second round. I was trying to give myself a chance at birdie and ended up with a double. But tomorrow I have to just keep firing at the pins and hopefully make a few putts.”
Peter Whiteford, the only other Scot to survive the halfway cut in Lyon, shot a one under par 70 to finish on four under par 209.
French amateur international star Kaleka, who only turned professional on Monday, can expect plenty of home support as he attempts to win on his Challenge Tour debut while Hansen is hoping for a win to catapult him towards The European Tour. England’s Marcus Higley their closest challenger at nine under par 204.
The pressure of leading since day one looked to finally be taking its toll on 22 year old Kaleka as he dropped three strokes in his opening six holes, but he dug deep and hit back with five birdies in his next eight holes to post a 70 and draw level with Hansen.
Hansen made the perfect start by birdieing his first two holes to put the pressure firmly on the inexperienced Kaleka but could not press on from there and finished with a two under par 69 to match Kaleka’s 13 under total.
“I struggled in the first few holes,” said Kaleka. “I hit bad shots and didn’t have my head on my shoulders. But then I hit two or three good shots and I was still in contention. It will be an exciting day tomorrow. We will see what position we are in after the first nine as it may become match play after that. It’s been a great week and hope it will continue.”
Hansen, a good friend of Celtic Manor Wales Open winner Jeppe Huldahl, hopes to draw inspiration from Huldahl’s win last month. He said: “I have played so many practice rounds with Jeppe, know his game so well, and to see him win on The European Tour gives you the belief that you can also do it.
“I got off to the perfect start with two good putts but couldn’t hole any after that,” he said. “I was playing good golf and had some chances but couldn’t take them. Alex was impressive with how he came back after his start. He is a good player.”
THIRD-ROUND LEADERS
Par 213 (3x71)
200 A Hansen (Den) 64 67 69, A Kaleka (Fra) 63 67 70
204 M Higley (Eng) 71 68 65
205 T Carolan (Aus) 65 70 70, F Calmels (Fra) 68 68 69, A McArthur (Sco) 63 72 70
206 C Günther (Ger) 67 69 70, C Russo (Fra) 69 69 68, A Willey (Eng) 70 69 67, A Butterfield (Eng) 72 69 65, G Houston (Wal) 66 73 67, V Dubuisson (am) (Fra) 67 70 69
207 C Brazillier (Fra) 69 67 71, J Parry (Eng) 69 68 70, A Grenier (Fra) 65 71 71, C Rodiles (Esp) 70 65 72, S Bebb (Wal) 70 70 67, P Golding (Eng) 67 68 72, F Praegant (Aut) 67 68 72
208 J Quesne (Fra) 71 66 71, B Mason (Eng) 66 70 72, R Karlberg (Swe) 71 68 69, J Arruti (Esp) 68 69 71, P Rowe (Eng) 71 68 69, J Grillon (Fra) 67 73 68
209 S Davis (Eng) 69 73 67, P Whiteford (Sco) 71 68 70, J Guerrier (Fra) 73 68 68, R Santos (Por) 67 75 67, R Muntz (Ned) 67 70 72, A Gee (Eng) 67 72 70, J Heath (Eng) 69 71 69
third day five behind leader Kaleka
From: Press Officer Roddy Williams
Scot Andrew McArthur was left to rue another bad day with the putter as he finished the third round of the European Challenge Tour's ALLIANZ EurOpen de Lyon five strokes adrift of the leaders.
McArthur, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, posted a one under par 70 to lie at eight under 205 and has plenty of work to do to catch the leading pair of Frenchman Alexandre Kaleka and Dane Anders Schmidt Hansen on Sunday at Golf du Gouverneur in Monthieux.
Kaleka, who has led from the start on his professional debut, shot a 70 while Hansen drew level at 13 under par 200 with a 69.
“I have just holed nothing for the past two days,” said McArthur. “I gave myself chances but the putts have not dropped, although the most disappointing thing was the double bogey at the end of the second round. I was trying to give myself a chance at birdie and ended up with a double. But tomorrow I have to just keep firing at the pins and hopefully make a few putts.”
Peter Whiteford, the only other Scot to survive the halfway cut in Lyon, shot a one under par 70 to finish on four under par 209.
French amateur international star Kaleka, who only turned professional on Monday, can expect plenty of home support as he attempts to win on his Challenge Tour debut while Hansen is hoping for a win to catapult him towards The European Tour. England’s Marcus Higley their closest challenger at nine under par 204.
The pressure of leading since day one looked to finally be taking its toll on 22 year old Kaleka as he dropped three strokes in his opening six holes, but he dug deep and hit back with five birdies in his next eight holes to post a 70 and draw level with Hansen.
Hansen made the perfect start by birdieing his first two holes to put the pressure firmly on the inexperienced Kaleka but could not press on from there and finished with a two under par 69 to match Kaleka’s 13 under total.
“I struggled in the first few holes,” said Kaleka. “I hit bad shots and didn’t have my head on my shoulders. But then I hit two or three good shots and I was still in contention. It will be an exciting day tomorrow. We will see what position we are in after the first nine as it may become match play after that. It’s been a great week and hope it will continue.”
Hansen, a good friend of Celtic Manor Wales Open winner Jeppe Huldahl, hopes to draw inspiration from Huldahl’s win last month. He said: “I have played so many practice rounds with Jeppe, know his game so well, and to see him win on The European Tour gives you the belief that you can also do it.
“I got off to the perfect start with two good putts but couldn’t hole any after that,” he said. “I was playing good golf and had some chances but couldn’t take them. Alex was impressive with how he came back after his start. He is a good player.”
THIRD-ROUND LEADERS
Par 213 (3x71)
200 A Hansen (Den) 64 67 69, A Kaleka (Fra) 63 67 70
204 M Higley (Eng) 71 68 65
205 T Carolan (Aus) 65 70 70, F Calmels (Fra) 68 68 69, A McArthur (Sco) 63 72 70
206 C Günther (Ger) 67 69 70, C Russo (Fra) 69 69 68, A Willey (Eng) 70 69 67, A Butterfield (Eng) 72 69 65, G Houston (Wal) 66 73 67, V Dubuisson (am) (Fra) 67 70 69
207 C Brazillier (Fra) 69 67 71, J Parry (Eng) 69 68 70, A Grenier (Fra) 65 71 71, C Rodiles (Esp) 70 65 72, S Bebb (Wal) 70 70 67, P Golding (Eng) 67 68 72, F Praegant (Aut) 67 68 72
208 J Quesne (Fra) 71 66 71, B Mason (Eng) 66 70 72, R Karlberg (Swe) 71 68 69, J Arruti (Esp) 68 69 71, P Rowe (Eng) 71 68 69, J Grillon (Fra) 67 73 68
209 S Davis (Eng) 69 73 67, P Whiteford (Sco) 71 68 70, J Guerrier (Fra) 73 68 68, R Santos (Por) 67 75 67, R Muntz (Ned) 67 70 72, A Gee (Eng) 67 72 70, J Heath (Eng) 69 71 69
210 C Suneson (Esp) 70 71 69, G Paddison (Nzl) 66 73 71, R McEvoy (Eng) 69 70 71, M Villegas (Col) 70 66 74, M Zions (Aus) 70 70 70
211 A Högberg (Swe) 71 70 70, L Bond (Wal) 70 66 75, E Molinari (Ita) 68 71 72, A Wagner (Arg) 71 71 69, A Snobeck (Fra) 66 72 73, J Bjerhag (Swe) 71 68 72, B Lecuona (Fra) 68 68 75, J Lima (Por) 68 67 76, B Hebert (Fra) 68 70 73, R Coles (Eng) 72 65 74, J Lando-Casanova (am) (Fra) 71 70 70
212 S Manley (Wal) 67 71 74, J Billot (Fra) 73 69 70, C Moriarty (Irl) 71 71 70, D Küpper (Ger) 74 66 72, S Juul (Den) 70 70 72, P Niederdrenk (Ger) 75 66 71, R Thuillier (Fra) 71 70 71, D Nouailhac (Fra) 69 69 74
213 N Fox (Irl) 77 65 71, J Sjöholm (Swe) 72 70 71, B Pettersson (Swe) 73 69 71,
214 M Mills (Eng) 72 68 74, F Cupillard (Fra) 72 70 72, R Steele (Eng) 70 71 73, A Bernadet (Fra) 69 73 72, D Griffiths (Eng) 70 70 74
215 M Cort (Eng) 70 71 74, L Gagli (Ita) 70 71 74, Z Scotland (Eng) 69 70 76, S Luna (Esp) 73 69 73, L Westerberg (Swe) 71 70 74, M McGeady (Irl) 65 77 73
216 N Meitinger (Ger) 69 73 74, A Zanini (Ita) 67 74 75
217 B Miarka (Ger) 70 71 76
219 L James (Eng) 71 71 77
211 A Högberg (Swe) 71 70 70, L Bond (Wal) 70 66 75, E Molinari (Ita) 68 71 72, A Wagner (Arg) 71 71 69, A Snobeck (Fra) 66 72 73, J Bjerhag (Swe) 71 68 72, B Lecuona (Fra) 68 68 75, J Lima (Por) 68 67 76, B Hebert (Fra) 68 70 73, R Coles (Eng) 72 65 74, J Lando-Casanova (am) (Fra) 71 70 70
212 S Manley (Wal) 67 71 74, J Billot (Fra) 73 69 70, C Moriarty (Irl) 71 71 70, D Küpper (Ger) 74 66 72, S Juul (Den) 70 70 72, P Niederdrenk (Ger) 75 66 71, R Thuillier (Fra) 71 70 71, D Nouailhac (Fra) 69 69 74
213 N Fox (Irl) 77 65 71, J Sjöholm (Swe) 72 70 71, B Pettersson (Swe) 73 69 71,
214 M Mills (Eng) 72 68 74, F Cupillard (Fra) 72 70 72, R Steele (Eng) 70 71 73, A Bernadet (Fra) 69 73 72, D Griffiths (Eng) 70 70 74
215 M Cort (Eng) 70 71 74, L Gagli (Ita) 70 71 74, Z Scotland (Eng) 69 70 76, S Luna (Esp) 73 69 73, L Westerberg (Swe) 71 70 74, M McGeady (Irl) 65 77 73
216 N Meitinger (Ger) 69 73 74, A Zanini (Ita) 67 74 75
217 B Miarka (Ger) 70 71 76
219 L James (Eng) 71 71 77
Labels: CHALLENGE TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Saturday, July 11, 2009
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