Saturday, September 08, 2018

Fitzpatrick's Round 3 63 gives him two-shot lead at Omega European Masters

Matthew Fitzpatrick will take a two-shot lead into Sunday's final round of the Omega European Masters as he looks to become the first player to successfully defend the title since the late, great Seve Ballesteros.
The Spanish legend lifted the trophy at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club in 1977 and 1978 and Fitzpatrick's third round 63 left him in pole position to emulate the 50-time European Tour winner on Sunday.
The Englishman will head into day four at 14 under, two shots clear of Frenchman Mike Lorenzo-Vera and four ahead of countryman Daniel Brooks, Dane Lucas Bjerregaard, American Doug Ghim, South African Haydn Porteous and China's Wu Ashun.
Fitzpatrick's 63 matched the lowest round of the week which was also carded by Malaysia's Gavin Green, who sits at nine under alongside South African Thomas Aiken.
The 24 year old has a remarkable record in the Swiss mountains since missing the cut on his first visit in 2014, finishing second in 2015 and seventh in 2016 before winning his fourth European Tour title here last year.
He has now gone sub-66 in eight of his 17 rounds at this event, with his bogey-free effort containing five birdies and a chip-in eagle the lowest of them all.
Italian Nino Bertasio, Spaniard Nacho Elvira and Japan's Hideto Tanihara were then six shots off the lead.
Player Quotes
Matt Fitzpatrick: “It was really, really good. I would say that everything went well today. I drove it really solid and made some great up-and-downs which has been a bit of a struggle this season to keep the round going. There were some real key ones today and that was the difference. It kept the momentum and I managed to kick on.
“When I came back here in 2015 I was hitting a draw, and for whatever reason I couldn’t hit a draw that week. So I went with the fade and it’s stuck ever since. I finished second that week and have sort of played really well ever since, so I think the fade around here really suits it well.
“The last three holes are quite tough I think where the flags are today and through pars you aren’t really losing any ground, and then to finish with a long putt there was an absolute bonus.
“He is a good man to emulate (Seve Ballesteros), so hopefully things go to plan tomorrow.
“You still want to put the pressure on and make birdies. You are going to have to because someone is going to come up from somewhere tomorrow, there is no doubt because you can get it going, but hopefully stick to my game plan and make plenty of birdies.”
Mike Lorenzo-Vera: “I was striking the ball pretty good and as I said yesterday, I know what to do here on almost every hole, so I am trying to do it and that’s it.
“I have been working on mostly on being square, not too much feeling, and putting really square even if I was feeling bad. That is what Justin, my coach told me. He was like, “We don’t care if you feel uncomfortable or not, just be square and that’s it!”, and it looks like it works.
“It might be the most important tournament for me, as I said I lost my dad here, so I want it.”
Lucas Bjerregaard: “I played a little bit better on the back, wouldn’t of minded to get one on the last couple here but all in all it has been pretty good.
“They are playing relatively easy today and you need to make birdie there, especially in the position I was in, so I hit a great drive and just had a seven-iron in. Pulled that into the bunker, and not a very good shot, but to make that was big. So it was nice with a few birdies on the back to help me a bit.
“I am very excited. I am still in a decent position and I just need to come out and play a little bit more like I did on the front nine yesterday and shoot a few under there, and make a bit of a charge.”
Round Three Scores:
par 210 (3x70)
196 M Fitzpatrick (Eng) 69 64 63,
198 M Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 68 66 64,
200 H Porteous (RSA) 69 65 66, D Ghim (USA) 68 65 67, L Bjerregaard (Den) 68 65 67, A Wu (Chn) 70 65 65, D Brooks (Eng) 69 67 64,
201 T Aiken (RSA) 68 67 66, G Green (Mas) 69 69 63,
202 N Elvira (Esp) 66 69 67, H Tanihara (Jpn) 65 66 71, N Bertasio (Ita) 70 67 65,
203 L Westwood (Eng) 68 69 66,
204 C Schwartzel (RSA) 67 69 68, S Gallacher (Sco) 68 66 70, S Kjeldsen (Den) 65 70 69, E Van Rooyen (RSA) 66 71 67, D Lipsky (USA) 68 70 66,
205 M Southgate (Eng) 69 67 69, C Koepka (USA) 71 65 69, A Sullivan (Eng) 65 72 68,
206 M Wallace (Eng) 68 69 69, S Chawrasia (Ind) 69 66 71,
207 J Campillo (Esp) 74 65 68, A Connelly (Can) 70 69 68, R McEvoy (Eng) 72 67 68, P Larrazábal (Esp) 67 72 68, D Fichardt (SAf) 68 71 68, P Khongwatmai (Tha) 68 71 68, R Sterne (RSA) 69 67 71,
208 A Johnston (Eng) 68 69 71, B Hebert (Fra) 70 67 71, G Coetzee (RSA) 69 70 69, M Pavon (Fra) 67 71 70, D Drysdale (Sco) 66 70 72, D Horsey (Eng) 70 69 69, K Aphibarnrat (Tha) 71 67 70, M Kieffer (Ger) 64 71 73, C Bezuidenhout (RSA) 71 68 69, F Zanotti (Par) 69 70 69, R Wattel (Fra) 69 67 72, C Shinkwin (Eng) 69 69 70, R Fox (Nzl) 67 69 72,
209 C Wood (Eng) 68 70 71, J Walters (RSA) 66 71 72, L Canter (Eng) 68 69 72, J Morrison (Eng) 70 69 70, J Wang (SKor) 71 68 70, L Slattery (Eng) 68 71 70, S Hend (Aus) 70 69 70, S Jamieson (Sco) 69 68 72, A Romero (Arg) 72 67 70, P Oriol (Esp) 72 66 71, J Guerrier (Fra) 65 71 73,
210 N Colsaerts (Bel) 71 66 73,
211 M Korhonen (Fin) 69 70 72, E Molinari (Ita) 70 68 73,
212 M Kinhult (Swe) 70 69 73, A Levy (Fra) 67 68 77,
213 R Gonzalez (Arg) 71 68 74, D Willett (Eng) 68 66 79, G Havret (Fra) 69 70 74,
214 R Fisher (Eng) 70 69 75,
216 A Saddier (Fra) 74 65 77,
217 J Van Zyl (RSA) 71 68 78, R Karlsson (Swe) 69 69 79,
219 J Geary (Nzl) 68 70 81,

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