GEORGE MURRAY IN JOINT SIXTH PLACE AFTER A THIRD-ROUND 66
CHALLENGE TOUR REPORT
FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
George
Murray’s hopes of clinching a
spot in the crucial final tournament of
the European Challenge Tour season
were given a huge boost as the Scot
carded a six under par 66 to move
into joint sixth place going into the final
day of the inaugural National Bank of
Oman Golf Classic.
Murray, pictured, currently sits in 55th
position in the Rankings and a strong
finish in the penultimate event
at the
Almouj Golf, The Wave could edge
him into the top 45,
who go on
to play
for the 15 European Tour cards on offer at the conclusion of
next
week’s Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final hosted by
Al Badia Golf Club.
His
round came courtesy of eight birdies and two bogeys and the
Anstruther, Fife man
is hoping he can carry his form on the greens
into the final day as he
sits seven shots behind Finland’s Roope
Kakko
in tied sixth place on four under 212.
“It
was a good round and it at least gives me a chance,” he said.
“Hopefully I can get myself a top three or top five and get it
going next week.
“I
need a big week, simple as that. I need to go and shoot the same
tomorrow I think. I knew I needed a good round but I actually felt a
bit
lazy this morning. I was sat at breakfast thinking,
‘I really can’t
be bothered, I’d better get myself going!’ Maybe it
helped that I was
relaxed and you need that out in that heat - it’s so
hot.
“I
struggled with my putter early in the week but I have started to
hole
them and hopefully that’s a sign of things to come. It will be a
bit
windier tomorrow and I like that because you have
to
concentrate a bit more on the shots so I'm definitely looking
forward
to it.” Roope Kakko edged closer to a return to The European Tour as the Finn roared into the lead at the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic, thanks to five consecutive back nine birdies en route to a six under par 66.
It is a high stakes affair in the crucial penultimate event of the European Challenge Tour season, and for all of the top three players – Kakko, Daniel Im of the USA and Italian Marco Crespi – victory would go a long way in securing graduation to The 2014 Race to Dubai.
Kakko currently lies in 17th place in the Rankings, just two places shy of the top 15 who earn their European Tour cards at the conclusion of next week’s Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final hosted by Al Badia Golf Club.
A win this weekend at the stunning Almouj Golf, The Wave in the Omani capital of Muscat would earn Kakko a winner’s cheque of €35,028 and a huge leap into the top ten.
The 31 year old admitted that he had been dangerously aggressive on the back nine but it paid off in spades as he embarked on a run of five consecutive birdies, holing a 15 foot putt at the par four tenth to get things going, before a bogey at the last left him just one clear at the top on 11 under par.
“That was one of the best rounds I have played in my career,” said Kakko, whose last win on the Challenge Tour came as an amateur in 2004.
“I played smart. I played towards the middle of greens and got into a little bit of a roll on the back nine. I had stayed patient and got rewarded in the end.
“I had a really silly idea in my head at the tenth tee. I said to myself, ‘the more birdies you make on the back nine, the easier it’s going to be tomorrow’. That was my crazy idea. I just wanted to make as many birdies as possible on the back nine to make it easier tomorrow but it worked out.
“Shame
about the three-putt on the last - the last green is quicker
and I knew that but it’s still really quick and I went six feet past - but
it will be an interesting day tomorrow.
and I knew that but it’s still really quick and I went six feet past - but
it will be an interesting day tomorrow.
“Of
course I'm looking forward to it. This is what we play for and I'm
playing so nicely. Playing on such a demanding golf course, anything can
happen so it will be an exciting day.”
Im,
who carded a four under par 68 to move to ten under, is delighted to
have hit a hot streak of form at such a crucial stage of the season and
feels that if he takes some of the chances that have gone begging thus
far this week, he could
claim that elusive maiden Challenge Tour victory.
“It’s
really exciting,” he said. “If I do what I'm doing right now but
just a little bit better I’ll be fine. It’s good momentum I have going
into Dubai next week so I'm excited. It would mean a lot to win. I
haven’t won a tournament since 2008 and I've been grinding since
then so finally I feel like I'm ready to win a tournament.”
just a little bit better I’ll be fine. It’s good momentum I have going
into Dubai next week so I'm excited. It would mean a lot to win. I
haven’t won a tournament since 2008 and I've been grinding since
then so finally I feel like I'm ready to win a tournament.”
Crespi
lies three shots off the pace in third position after a third
round 69 moved him to eight under but a strong result this week
could help him secure a rookie season on The European Tour, as he lies 14th in the Rankings.
round 69 moved him to eight under but a strong result this week
could help him secure a rookie season on The European Tour, as he lies 14th in the Rankings.
THIRD ROUND TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
Par 216 (3x72)
205 R Kakko (Fin) 70 69 66
206 D Im (USA) 69 69 68
208 M Crespi (Ita) 72 67 69
209 J Huldahl (Den) 76 67 66, L Bjerregaard (Den) 76 68 65
212 T Pilkadaris (Aus) 71 69 72, J Moul (Eng) 72 69 71, P Dwyer (Eng) 73 68 71, G Murray (Sco) 74 72 66
213 S Kim (SKor) 71 74 68, B Stone (RSA) 71 68 74, R Russell (Sco) 75 70 68
214
J Carlsson (Swe) 72 72 70, A McArthur (Sco) 71 74 69, L Goddard (Eng)
78 67 69, S Arnold (Aus) 71 71 72, G Stal (Fra) 74 72 68, J Guerrier
(Fra) 68 74 72, M Ford (Eng) 72 74 68, C Del Moral (Esp) 74 66 74, D
Huizing (Ned) 75 69
70, A Domingo (Esp) 72 71 71
215
F Praegant (Aut) 78 70 67, N Ravano (Ita) 68 72 75, A Marshall (Eng) 72
74 69, D Stewart (Sco) 71 72 72, G Cambis (Fra) 76 66 73
216 W Besseling (Ned) 74 72 70, J
Dantorp (Swe) 74 70 72, N Lemke (Swe) 71 74 71, A Pavan (Ita) 72 71 73, V
Riu (Fra) 75 71 70
217 E Dubois (Fra) 72 75 70, N Elvira
(Esp) 74 70 73, B Paolini (USA) 72 74 71, N Dougherty (Eng) 73 68 76, B
Longmuir (Sco) 74 74 69, A Otaegui (Esp) 74 74 69, N Kimsey (am) (Eng)
71 72 74
218 A Gee (Eng) 71 73 74, K Borsheim (Nor) 75 69 74, B An (SKor) 79 68 71, D Ulrich (Sui) 73 75 70,
219 R McGowan (Eng) 72 72 75, M Lampert (Ger) 73 75 71, J Elson (Eng) 74 73 72
220
S Walker (Eng) 74 73 73, J Fahrbring (Swe) 74 72 74, R Davies (Wal) 77
68 75, M Jonzon (Swe) 75 72 73, C Aguilar (Esp) 71 70 79, R Dinwiddie
(Eng) 75 70 75, M Haastrup (Den) 74 74 72, B Ritthammer (Ger) 76 71 73,
S Tiley (Eng) 78
70 72, J Barnes (Eng) 72 72 76
221 T Nørret (Den) 75 72 74, J McLeary (Sco) 72 74 75, L Jensen (Den) 74 71 76
223 P Archer (Eng) 77 71 75, J Abbott (Eng) 74 72 77, O Wilson (Eng) 74 70 79
224 L Saltman (Sco) 76 72 76
226 C Ford (Eng) 70 78 78
Labels: CHALLENGE TOUR
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