Round Three
Nixon nears breakthrough in Spain
NH Collection Open
April 3 – 6, 2014
La Reserva de Sotogrande Club de Golf
Prize fund: €600,000

Matthew Nixon is in sight of his maiden European Tour title after the Englishman posted a lowest-of-the-week round of 65 on the third day of the NH Collection Open.
The former British boys champion will enter the final round of the €600,000 dual ranking event with a slender lead over Italy’s Marco Crespi after carding nine birdies in a stunning display at La Reserva de Sotogrande, in Spain.
Crespi overcame an indifferent start to roar home in 31 and sign for a round of 66 which moved him to seven under par, one shot adrift of Nixon.
Quotes: MATTHEW NIXON
Third round 65, aggregate total 208(-8)
I really enjoyed it, the sun’s been shining and I played really nicely. I don’t remember much about it apart from the fact that I kept knocking them close and knocking the putts in. If I could do that again tomorrow it would come in handy.
Today the conditions are obviously a little better, but it was just one of them days. I had a nice start and it just kept going. Exactly the same day tomorrow would be nice!
MARCO CRESPI
Third Round 66, aggregate total 209 (-7)
I am very happy because I played great all day long. Always in the middle of the fairway, hitting for the pin, just waiting for birdies - and finally they came, five in a row. And that’s it, that’s the way to make six under. I was patient; normally I am a very patient person.
Tomorrow I am going to fight for the title, that’s for sure, and I am pretty confident because I am playing very good. The weather forecast is good and if it’s a day like this I think I can do well.
RICARDO SANTOS
Third round 67, aggregate total 211 (-5)
I played really solid today, amazingly, I didn’t miss a shot. I was very consistent off the tee, which is very important on this course and really solid into the greens. I putted quite well, not really well, but quite well. Today was warmer, with less wind but the course is still tough, specially the holes into the wind. The course is tough because we start with three very strong par fours and if you don’t start really well you are struggling. That’s probably the reason that we don’t have really low scores under the better conditions. Notes:
•  Nixon would be the fifth first time European Tour winner of the 2014 season, after Morten Ørum Madsen (South African Open Championship hosted by the City of Ekurhuleni), George Coetzee (Joburg Open), Jason Day (WGC - Accenture Match Play Championship) and Patrick Reed (WGC - Cadillac Championship).
•  There were two holes in one in the third round: Rhys Davies: Hole 6, 7 iron, 172 yards; and Jens Dantorp: Hole 6, 8 iron, 156 meters
Scores after round  three:
 208 M Nixon (Eng) 72 71 65,
 209 M Crespi  (Ita) 70 73 66,
 210 F Aguilar (Chi) 71 69 70,
 211 R Santos  (Por) 74 70 67,
 212 R Ramsay  (Sco) 71 72 69, T Van Der Walt (RSA) 70 73 69, D Horsey (Eng) 71 68 73, A Otaegui  (Esp) 71 69 72,
 213 S Jamieson  (Sco) 71 72 70, D McGrane (Irl) 74 69 70, K Broberg (Swe) 76 70 67,
 214 M Warren (Sco) 72 67 75, J Garcia Pinto (Esp) 73 70 71, O Fisher  (Eng) 71 72 71, M Delpodio  (Ita) 71 73 70,
 215 R Davies (Wal) 72 71 72, L Bjerregaard  (Den) 72 73 70, A Johnston (Eng) 73 72 70, D Im (USA) 72 72 71,
 216 D Howell (Eng) 71 75 70, S Kim (Kor) 70 76 70,
 217 M Korhonen (Fin) 71 75 71, J Hahn (USA) 74 68 75, E Goya (Arg) 73 75 69, C Del Moral (Esp) 73 72 72, B Dredge (Wal) 70 69 78, P Archer (Eng) 74 70 73, J McLeary  (Sco) 73 70 74, L Gagli  (Ita) 71 74 72, L Jensen (Den) 73 70 74, C Arendell (USA) 72 75 70, J Edfors (Swe) 76 72 69, J Dantorp (Swe) 71 73 73,
 218 D Drysdale (Sco) 79 69 70, K Phelan (Irl) 75 70 73, D Gaunt (Eng) 75 70 73, D Brooks (Eng) 73 75 70, A Marshall (Eng) 74 73 71, V Riu  (Fra) 73 74 71,
 219 S Wakefield (Eng) 74 74 71, G Stal  (Fra) 72 74 73, A Levy (Fra) 72 75 72,
 220 M Lafeber (Ned) 78 69 73, G Havret  (Fra) 74 70 76, O Stark (Swe) 74 71 75, G Lockerbie  (Eng) 76 70 74, C Paisley  (Eng) 72 72 76, J Hansen  (Den) 77 69 74, J Doherty  (Sco) 69 74 77, M Jonzon (Swe) 74 70 76, J Huldahl (Den) 72 73 75, E Dubois (Fra) 73 73 74,
 221 E De La Riva  (Esp) 72 76 73, M Lundberg (Swe) 71 72 78, M Foster (Eng) 71 77 73, S Khan (Eng) 75 73 73, N Elvira  (Esp) 72 76 73,
 222 B An (Kor) 73 73 76, O Wilson (Eng) 75 72 75, S Thornton (Irl) 74 73 75, J Campillo (Esp) 72 73 77,
 223 L Kennedy  (Eng) 75 72 76, P Oriol (Esp) 75 73 75,
 224 T Nørret (Den) 73 71 80,
 225 C Hanson (Eng) 72 76 77, T Levet (Fra) 72 76 77, A Bernadet  (Fra) 76 71 78,
 227 C Bouniol (Fra) 74 73 80

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