JUSTIN ROSE NOW LEADS BY TWO IN ABU DHABI

 

                             A textbook backswing from tournament leader Justin Rose
                                       Picture by coutesy of Getty Images(c)

 FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
 Justin Rose stayed on course for a dream debut in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship after extending his lead to two strokes in the third round.

With Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods having both missed the halfway cut, Rose is now the highest ranked player remaining in the field, and the World Number Five proved his pedigree with another sparkling display at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

An opening bogey was not the start the Englishman had in mind, but he swiftly rebounded with five birdies in six holes to put distance between himself and the chasing pack.

A measured seven iron to four feet on the par three 12th hole led to another birdie and a four shot lead over the field, but his advantage was whittled down to a single stroke after bogeys at the 13th and 17th holes.

Rose was just short of the green in two on the par five closing hole, however, and after chipping to three feet and sinking the resulting birdie putt he was signing for a round of 68 and a 12 under par aggregate total.

He said: “I’m delighted about the day. Any time you strengthen your lead, I guess that’s always good. But more importantly, I felt I played really, really well today. Every time I had the club in my hand, I felt like I was going to hit a good shot – and that’s not always the case.

“Some days you have to work harder than others and some days are a bit of the grind, even if you do come in with a good score. But today was a day where it felt pretty smooth.

“The key was that stretch on the front nine, which snuck up on me. I think that’s when you play your best golf, when you’re not all aware of how well you are going. I hadn’t realised I’d made five birdies in six holes, so I guess that is sort of testament to how calm I was. 

“After a dodgy start with a bogey at the first, I had to settle myself into the round. It definitely took a couple of holes, but it was good to put that behind me with that nice run of birdies.”

Welshman Jamie Donaldson and Dane Thorbjørn Olesen, who will partner Rose on the final day, lie in a share of second place on ten under par after both carded rounds of 69.

Thai ace Thongchai Jaidee, who finished in third place at last week’s Volvo Golf Champions, is a further shot behind, followed by Scotland’s Richie Ramsay, England’s David Howell and Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño on eight under par.

 

THIRD-ROUND SCOREBOARD

Par 216 (3x72) 

204 J Rose (Eng) 67 69 68

206 J Donaldson (Wal) 67 70 69, T Olesen (Den) 68 69 69

207 T Jaidee (Tha) 70 71 66

208 D Howell (Eng) 69 71 68, G Fernandez-Castaño  (Esp) 70 67 71, R Ramsay  (Sco) 73 68 67

209 M Campbell (Nzl) 69 71 69, A Dodt (Aus) 74 70 65, R Santos  (Por) 71 72 66

210 M Kaymer (Ger) 71 69 70, J Kruger (RSA) 72 69 69

211 B Wiesberger  (Aut) 74 71 66, S Chowrasia (Ind) 73 73 65, A Hansen (Den) 71 71 69, G Coetzee (RSA) 69 71 71, P Hanson (Swe) 73 72 66, J Campillo (Esp) 74 68 69

212 L Gagli  (Ita) 74 68 70, D Willett  (Eng) 70 71 71, J Dufner (USA) 71 69 72, J Luiten (Ned) 70 69 73, J Edfors (Swe) 71 73 68

213 P Lawrie (Irl) 72 72 69, M Fraser (Aus) 75 71 67, B Grace  (RSA) 71 69 73, M Manassero (Ita) 72 68 73, G Maybin (Nir) 71 71 71

214 R Gonzalez (Arg) 72 72 70, P Larrazábal (Esp) 68 74 72, R Jacquelin (Fra) 72 69 73, D Fichardt (RSA) 72 70 72, A Hartø  (Den) 74 72 68, P Harrington (Irl) 72 72 70, C Lee (Sco) 72 70 72, P Casey  (Eng) 71 73 70, P Meesawat  (Tha) 76 69 69, A Cañizares  (Esp) 73 69 72, G Mulroy (RSA) 71 68 75, A Noren  (Swe) 76 70 68, K Horne (RSA) 72 69 73,

215 L Wen-Chong (Chn) 69 72 74, T Hamilton (USA) 75 69 71, P Price (Wal) 72 74 69, R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) 74 72 69, J Sjöholm (Swe) 71 70 74, R Wattel  (Fra) 73 69 73,

216 P Whiteford (Sco) 73 70 73, H Stenson (Swe) 69 71 76, R Green (Aus) 71 75 70, M Siem  (Ger) 72 72 72, P Lawrie (Sco) 74 71 71, E Els (RSA) 71 73 72, S Kjeldsen (Den) 70 71 75,

217 S Webster (Eng) 73 72 72, T Lewis (Eng) 74 72 71, S Dyson  (Eng) 75 70 72, R Bland (Eng) 72 73 72, T Björn (Den) 72 74 71,

218 M Foster (Eng) 72 72 74, G Storm  (Eng) 72 73 73, O Fisher  (Eng) 73 71 74, G Bourdy (Fra) 72 73 73, I Garrido (Esp) 75 70 73,

219 M Hoey  (Nir) 72 73 74, F Zanotti (Par) 76 70 73, D Horsey (Eng) 74 72 73,

220 A Sullivan (Eng) 71 73 76, R Coles (Eng) 73 70 77,

221 C Wood  (Eng) 73 71 77