HENRY IN CONTENTION AFTER PUTTING LESSON FROM DEAR

REPORT BY SARAH GYWNN

European Challenge Tour Press Officer

sgwynn@europeantour.com 

 

Scott Henry credited fellow Scot Gavin Dear with turning his tournament around in the Finnish Challenge, as the 25 year old moved into contention.

Henry is seven under par at Kytäjä Golf in southern Finland, thanks to a four under par 67 in the third round, and he lies five shots off the lead held by Sweden’s Kristoffer Broberg.

The Clydebank man would have been closer to Broberg were it not for two bogeys in his last three holes, but he is happy to be in the mix for his first Challenge Tour title.

“I had a putting lesson from Gavin Dear on Thursday after I played, and he totally changed the way I was putting,” said Henry. 

“Yesterday I didn’t even hit it well, but I scored five under because my putting was awesome.

“Today was the same up until the last few holes, when it got quite tricky with the wind. I was six under for the round playing the 16th, which is a tough par three, and I missed an eight footer for par there.

“Then I had a good chance for birdie on the 17th, but it was so windy and I missed it. It was really difficult to gauge the speed. On the 18th I hit my worst shot of the day – I hooked it into the water off the tee. And I actually made a good bogey there, a birdie with my second ball.

“So it was a disappointing finish but I’m really happy with my position. There were quite a few things Gavin told me to change with the putter. It was nothing too technical, more just the way I thought about it.”

Henry jokingly added: “I bought Gavin his dinner last night, but if I keep putting as well as this I might have to sort him out with a fee. I went from my worst putting performance as a professional on day one to the best on day two. He really helped me so I’m very grateful.

“I’m excited about tomorrow. I feel very comfortable and I’m much more confident now I’m holing some putts. It’s great to be in the mix tomorrow and I’ll just try to enjoy it.”

Fellow Scot Raymond Russell carded a 69 to reach six under, while it was also a productive day for Andrew McArthur, who had a 66 to go to four under, the same score as Chris Doak, who signed for a 67.

Jack Doherty, however, struggled to a 77 to slip back to five over par.

THIRD-ROUND TOTALS

Par 213 (3x71) 

201 K Broberg (Swe) 69 66 66

205 P Uihlein (US) 72 65 68, W Besseling  (Ned) 69 67 69

206 A Tampion  (Aus) 71 67 68, S Henry  (Sco) 73 66 67, M Tullo (Chi) 71 65 70

207 C Gane (Eng) 68 69 70, N Dougherty  (Eng) 69 72 66, R Russell (Sco) 71 67 69

208 B Åkesson (Swe) 67 75 66, J Abbott (Eng) 72 68 68

209 R Steiner (Aut) 67 69 73, D Vancsik (Arg) 74 67 68, A McArthur  (Sco) 72 71 66, J Walters (RSA) 71 71 67, A Sullivan (Eng) 70 72 67, R Echenique (Arg) 71 69 69, C Doak (Sco) 72 70 67, E Kofstad (Nor) 69 67 73

210 M Kieffer (Ger) 70 70 70, R Saxton (Ned) 69 67 74, A Otaegui  (Esp) 73 70 67, J Dantorp (Swe) 74 68 68

211 P Relecom  (Bel) 72 68 71, J Garcia Pinto (Esp) 70 72 69, P Edberg (Swe) 71 70 70, V Riu  (Fra) 72 67 72, T Nørret (Den) 70 71 70, D Gaunt (Aus) 70 73 68, J Guerrier  (Fra) 70 72 69, L Goddard  (Eng) 71 69 71

212 M Delpodio  (Ita) 76 67 69, J Barnes (Eng) 71 68 73, M Haines  (Eng) 67 71 74, B Koepka  (USA) 67 73 72, F McGuirk  (Eng) 73 69 70, J Grillon  (Fra) 71 72 69, T Ferreira  (RSA) 69 70 73, R De Sousa (Sui) 72 70 70

213 A Bernadet  (Fra) 69 73 71, S Benson (Eng) 75 66 72, C Moriarty (Irl) 71 71 71, E Bertheussen (Nor) 70 71 72

214 C Monasterio (Arg) 69 73 72, K Samooja (Fin) 70 70 74, J Busby (Eng) 74 68 72, R Dinwiddie  (Eng) 71 70 73, S Walker (Eng) 75 67 72, M Korhonen (Fin) 71 70 73

215 Å Nilsson (Swe) 74 69 72, A Ahokas (Fin) 73 67 75

216 D Whitnell  (Eng) 72 70 74, M Carlsson  (Swe) 73 70 73, S Tiley (Eng) 75 68 73, A Snobeck  (Fra) 71 72 73, R Kakko  (Fin) 75 65 76

217 P Oriol (Esp) 69 74 74

218 J Martikainen (Fin) 71 71 76, J Doherty  (Sco) 73 68 77

219 A Levy (Fra) 71 71 77

222 J Gibb (Eng) 70 73 79