Lorenzo-Vera's 63 puts him two ahead in Sicilian Open

Round Three Report

Mike Lorenzo-Vera fired a stunning 63 to take a two-shot lead into the final round of the Rocco Forte Sicilian Open.

The Frenchman produced a brilliant 64 in high winds on Friday at Verdura Golf Club and he went one better on a calm moving day to get to 15 under and lead the way from countryman Julien Guerrier and Swede Joakim Lagergren.

Lorenzo-Vera won the Challenge Tour in 2007 but last season was his best campaign on the European Tour as he finished 35th on the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex.

He finished in the top ten at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters earlier this season and after playing some sparkling golf at last week's GolfSixes alongside Romain Wattel, he is in now in pole position to challenge for a first European Tour title.

Lagergren is also looking for win number one after matching Lorenzo-Vera's 63, as is Guerrier who signed for a 67 to finish the day at 13 under.

Dane Lucas Bjerregaard was then at 12 under, three shots clear of local favourite Andrea Pavan and England's Andy Sullivan. Pavan signed for a 66 with Sullivan going one better to sit a shot ahead of Englishman Ryan Evans and Italian Francesco Laporta.

Australian Lucas Herbert was seven under, a shot clear of England's Steven Brown and Finn Mikko Korhonen.

Meanwhile, Pontus Widegren made the 15th hole-in-one of the season as the Swede holed a six iron from 167 yards on the 15th.

 

Round Three Scores
par 213 (3x71)

198 M Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 71 64 63,
200 J Lagergren (Swe) 71 66 63, J Guerrier (Fra) 68 65 67,
201 L Bjerregaard (Den) 65 68 68,
204 A Pavan (Ita) 72 66 66, A Sullivan (Eng) 67 72 65,
205 F Laporta (Ita) 69 69 67, R Evans (Eng) 65 69 71,
206 L Herbert (Aus) 69 71 66,
207 M Korhonen (Fin) 70 69 68, S Brown (Eng) 68 66 73,
208 J Kruyswijk (RSA) 72 68 68, E Molinari (Ita) 71 70 67, P Waring (Eng) 70 68 70, E Park (Kor) 68 73 67, M Tullo (Chi) 71 69 68, P Angles (Esp) 72 70 66, S Webster (Eng) 70 68 70, M Schwab (Aut) 69 73 66,
209 T Lewis (Eng) 71 71 67, S Gros (Fra) 68 72 69, T Aiken (RSA) 68 71 70, G Migliozzi (Ita) 72 71 66, L Canter (Eng) 70 73 66, J Fahrbring (Swe) 74 68 67, C Bezuidenhout (RSA) 71 72 66, A Connelly (Can) 70 74 65,
210 Z Lombard (RSA) 71 71 68, J Winther (Den) 71 74 65, M Armitage (Eng) 67 75 68, K Johannessen (Nor) 68 75 67, P Mejow (Ger) 70 72 68, E Cuartero Blanco (Esp) 74 68 68, E Pepperell (Eng) 72 69 69, T Bjørn (Den) 71 70 69,
211 N Cullen (Aus) 70 69 72, H Porteous (RSA) 70 73 68, L Gagli (Ita) 72 72 67, J Kruger (RSA) 72 70 69, E Lipparelli (Ita) 73 70 68,
212 S Fernandez (Esp) 67 73 72, C Braeunig (Ger) 76 69 67, D Brooks (Eng) 67 76 69, S Khan (Eng) 74 71 67, O Farr (Wal) 73 71 68, C Koepka (USA) 72 69 71, O Lindell (Fin) 74 70 68,
213 B Ritthammer (Ger) 75 68 70, E Johansen (Nor) 73 70 70, J Walters (RSA) 73 72 68, V Perez (Fra) 73 70 70, M Baldwin (Eng) 70 74 69, T Murray (Eng) 70 70 73, B Stow (Eng) 71 70 72, M Nixon (Eng) 71 73 69, M Manassero (Ita) 72 73 68, T Pulkkanen (Fin) 74 70 69, L Slattery (Eng) 71 72 70,
214 A Da Silva (Bra) 67 73 74, M Millar (Aus) 72 73 69, R Finch (Eng) 69 76 69, M Southgate (Eng) 72 71 71, T Fisher Jnr (RSA) 69 74 71, J Dantorp (Swe) 71 72 71, G Bourdy (Fra) 70 73 71, D Im (USA) 74 71 69,
215 F Fritsch (Ger) 74 71 70, P Widegren (Swe) 73 71 71, N Kimsey (Eng) 71 72 72, A Knappe (Ger) 71 74 70, S Chawrasia (Ind) 72 71 72,
216 H Leon (Chi) 70 74 72, K Samooja (Fin) 71 74 71, N Bertasio (Ita) 74 68 74,
217 G Manzoni (am) (Ita) 75 69 73,
218 F Maccario (Ita) 76 69 73,