Jordan Smith leads by 2 in Germany

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Jordan Smith produced a stunning round of 67 to claim the lead in a European Tour event for the first time at the Porsche European Open in Germany.

The 2016 Challenge Tour Road to Oman winner made five birdies at Green Eagle Golf Course near Hamburg to reach 12 under par 204 for the week and finish the day two shots clear of defending champion Alexander Levy and Swede Jens Fahrbring, who signed for rounds of 69 and 70 respectively.

The Englishman took the lead for the first time with a gain from six feet on the 15th and a superb iron to the final green set up a simple two-putt birdie to maintain his advantage going into the final round.

Overnight leader Ashley Chesters led for much of the day but missed several key putts on the back nine to finish with a one over par 72 and sit at nine under for the day alongside Swede Johan Edfors, Spaniard Adrian Otaegui, South African Richard Sterne, Australian Ryan McCarthy and American Julian Suri.

Meanwhile, home favourite Marcel Siem marked his 400th European Tour start with a hole-in-one during the third round. As well as the boost to his scorecard – Siem shot a 73 to lie three under par – the 37 year old also won a Porsche Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo worth € 158,604, holing his seven-iron to the 170 yard 17th to give the home fans plenty to cheer about.

Player Quotes 

Jordan Smith

“I’m over the moon. I played lovely from tee to green and putted really nicely today.

 

“Obviously it's long and thankfully they’ve put the tees forward because it's playing soft, so it’s just planning your route around the course and taking advantage of the par fives where you can.

 

“I’m very excited. It’s been a while since I’ve been in the final group so I’m looking forward to it.”

 

Alexander Levy

“I am really pleased with what I did today. I am playing good this week, I just make a few putts on the back nine and that helped me manage a good score today.

 

“It’s tough because it is a long golf course but after it is a little bit hard because you can go straight to the flag when you have a short iron in your hand. I like this type of golf course and I have 18 more holes to enjoy.

 

“It’s a different golf course from last year, but I have a good feeling, and I will try to keep this feeling tomorrow on the golf course with a good plan and that will be the key for tomorrow.”

 

Round Three Scores

Par 216 (3x72

204 J Smith (Eng) 70 67 67
206 A Levy (Fra) 67 70 69, J Fahrbring (Swe) 68 68 70
207 A Chesters (Eng) 68 67 72, R Sterne (SAf) 70 71 66, R McCarthy (Australia) 70 69 68, J Edfors (Swe) 71 67 69, A Otaegui (Spn) 71 66 70, J Suri (USA) 66 72 69
209 S Manley (Wales) 67 71 71, S Rahman (Ban) 70 66 73, P Reed (USA) 68 71 70, T Fisher Jnr (SAf) 70 68 71, L Cianchetti (Ita) 71 67 71, R Ramsay (Sco) 70 68 71
210 T Detry (Belgium) 71 69 70, R McEvoy (Eng) 66 72 72, S Gallacher (Sco) 68 70 72, C Koepka (USA) 69 68 73, S Crocker (am) (USA) 69 70 71,
211 S Gros (Fra) 70 71 70, Z Lombard (SAf) 70 72 69, P Widegren (Swe) 70 71 70, J Donaldson (Wales) 69 71 71, S Heisele (Ger) 72 70 69, J Campillo (Spn) 73 70 68, C Schwartzel (SAf) 67 71 73, T Olesen (Denmark) 69 70 72, E De La Riva (Spn) 68 73 70
212 J Lima (Port) 68 71 73, N Elvira (Spn) 69 70 73, C Lee (Sco) 68 70 74, M Kieffer (Ger) 69 72 71, K Aphibarnrat (Thai) 68 69 75, M Jonzon (Swe) 72 67 73, C Hanson (Eng) 70 72 70, B Hebert (Fra) 69 72 71
213 A Björk (Swe) 71 69 73, D Boonma (Thai) 71 71 71, R Karlberg (Swe) 69 74 70, L Slattery (Eng) 69 73 71, J Dantorp (Swe) 71 69 73, A Knappe (Ger) 74 69 70, C Shih-Chang (Taipei) 75 68 70, M Foster (Eng) 72 69 72, P Saksansin (Thai) 69 72 72, N Bertasio (Ita) 72 68 73, C Paisley (Eng) 67 72 74, M Siem (Ger) 69 71 73, O Fisher (Eng) 71 70 72
214 T Bjørn (Denmark) 74 68 72, S Tiley (Eng) 69 71 74, L Canter (Eng) 68 71 75, M Ilonen (Finland) 72 70 72, S Khan (Eng) 71 71 72, M Carlsson (Swe) 70 73 71, P McBride (am) (Ire) 70 72 72
215 J Ahlers (SAf) 71 69 75, H Arkenau (Ger) 70 73 72, R Rock (Eng) 70 69 76, J Walker (USA) 72 68 75, W Ashun (China) 71 72 72, R Jacquelin (Fra) 69 72 74, P Maddy (Eng) 71 70 74
216 A Connelly (Canada) 72 71 73, G Havret (Fra) 76 65 75, G Bourdy (Fra) 69 74 73, D Papadatos (Australia) 71 72 73, J Morrison (Eng) 72 71 73
217 L Yan-Wei (China) 72 70 75
218 B Dredge (Wales) 70 73 75, S Webster (Eng) 72 70 76
220 T Lewis (Eng) 69 73 78
221 S Dyson (Eng) 71 72 78