Saturday, June 23, 2018

Six-way logjam for lead at BMW International Open

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Home favourite Martin Kaymer is part of a six-way tie for the lead at Golf Club Gut Laerchenhof  in Northern Germany as the 30th edition of the BMW International Open looks set for a dramatic finish on Sunday.
The two-time Major Champion birdied two of his last three holes to delight the local crowds and sign for a 71 that took him into the leading pack on five under par alongside countryman Maximilian Kieffer, Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard, Australian Scott Hend and English pair Chris Paisley and Aaron Rai.
Shot Clock Masters champion Mikko Korhonen of Finland and Chilean Nico Geyger are one shot further back on four under par, with a further 20 players within three shots of the lead.
Bjerregaard and Paisley took advantage of the calmer conditions earlier in the day to post rounds of 67 and 68 respectively, while Kaymer, Kieffer and Rai all signed for rounds of 71.
Overnight leader Scott Hend slipping back with a 73 after dropping three shots on the front nine and double-bogeying the 13th.
The German pairing will draw huge crowds on Sunday with Kaymer going in search of European Tour title number 12 alongside countryman Kieffer, who is seeking his maiden win. Paisley – who put together an impressive run of six birdies on the back nine, including four in a row after the turn -  is looking for a second win of the season.
Bjerregarrd and Hend are going for career titles number two and three respectively, while Rai is aiming for his first European Tour title after winning three times on the Challenge Tour last season.
Player quotes
Martin Kaymer: “I'm very surprised to be where I am because today was a very scoreable day. I thought there would be some 64s and 65s out there because if you hit the fairways there are plenty of chances, but that wasn't the case, so good for me.
“I think I hung in there quite well. The middle of the round it almost got away from me. To be up there and have a chance tomorrow, that was the main thing and I think I kept it well together. It was a tough battle but overall it was nice to have everyone around supporting me.”
Maximilian Kieffer: “It's always nice to be in contention and it's even more special to do it here. There's a little bit more emotion involved. I could have been three or four better but obviously at the beginning of the tournament if you said you would be co leading going into the final round you would take it.”
Scott Hend: “I'm very fortunate to be where I am. Hopefully today was my bad day, and on wards and upwards tomorrow. We'll see where we are when we come to the back nine. I don't think you can be super aggressive out there because you can make a three but you can also make a six. So, you've still got to stay within your game plan and hopefully roll a few putts in. We'll see who rolls the most putts in tomorrow.”
Lucas Bjerregaard: “I played great, one of the best ball striking rounds I can remember in a long time. Unfortunately I had a couple of hiccups, three putted from four feet on 12 and missed a short one on 14. That was a shame, missed a but of momentum there, but nice to finish off with two birdies coming in.”
Chris Paisley: “I just need to keep doing what I'm doing this back nine. Now that I've won before I know I can do it, even before the win I believed I could do it but you don't actually know until you've done it. So to have that experience of playing really well under a lot of pressure, I know I can handle it so I'm just going to go out tomorrow and enjoy it and do the best I can.”
Aaron Rai: “I try not to set too many targets to be honest. Just try and play it for what it is and make smart decisions, not be too aggressive, too emotional, and see where it goes. If it's good enough to put you in this position, it's good enough to continue doing that.”
Round three scores
par 216 (3x72)
211 M Kaymer (Ger) 72 68 71, A Rai (Eng) 69 71 71, C Paisley (Eng) 72 71 68, M Kieffer (Ger) 71 69 71, S Hend (Aus) 71 67 73, L Bjerregaard (Den) 72 72 67.
212 N Geyger (Chi) 70 69 73, M Korhonen (Fin) 71 72 69.
213 A Romero (Arg) 71 75 67, M Wallace (Eng) 73 69 71, T Pieters (Bel) 73 69 71, S Jamieson (Sco) 69 74 70, W Ormsby (Aus) 71 71 71, J Lima (Por) 73 71 69, A Sullivan (Eng) 71 72 70, S Kjeldsen (Den) 72 69 72.
214 E Molinari (Ita) 74 69 71, D Howell (Eng) 70 75 69, C Syme (Sco) 74 69 71, D Lipsky (USA) 74 71 69215 D Horsey (Eng) 72 72 71, S Garcia (Esp) 73 71 71, S Gros (Fra) 68 72 75, H Sturehed (Swe) 69 70 76, C Mivis (Bel) 72 75 68, J Campillo (Esp) 69 75 71.
216 J Heath (Eng) 73 75 68, S Horsfield (Eng) 73 71 72, M Foster (Eng) 72 70 74, N Von Dellingshausen (Ger) 70 75 71, C Blomstrand (Swe) 70 72 74, R Sterne (RSA) 72 74 70, C Wood (Eng) 72 75 69, J Stalter (Fra) 74 71 71.
217 N Elvira (Esp) 71 73 73, G Bourdy (Fra) 73 72 72, J Quesne (Fra) 71 74 72, F Aguilar (Chi) 75 73 69, N Cullen (Aus) 72 68 77, L Jensen (Den) 74 73 70, C Koepka (USA) 75 72 70.
218 V Perez (Fra) 70 76 72, B Neil (Sco) 75 73 70, A Connelly (Can) 73 74 71, L Gagli (Ita) 74 74 70, J Kolbing (Ger) 74 72 72, T Olesen (Den) 73 68 77, D Drysdale (Sco) 75 73 70, M Schwab (Aut) 72 75 71, T Lewis (Eng) 76 70 72, C Bezuidenhout (RSA) 73 71 74, J Walters (RSA) 76 67 75.
219 R McEvoy (Eng) 77 68 74, T Detry (Bel) 71 72 76, T Fleetwood (Eng) 74 74 71, A Björk (Swe) 76 70 73, M Nixon (Eng) 76 72 71, J Suri (USA) 75 73 71, G Fernandez - Castaño (Esp) 73 73 73, M Kinhult (Swe) 76 70 73, A Otaegui (Esp) 71 74 74.
220 A Chesters (Eng) 73 74 73, B Dredge (Wal) 73 73 74, L Slattery (Eng) 79 69 72, A Pavan (Ita) 75 72 73, E Johansen (Nor) 72 75 73.
221 A Saddier (Fra) 77 71 73, C Ford (Eng) 74 74 73.
222 R Jacquelin (Fra) 74 73 75, B Hafthorsson (Isl) 74 73 75.
223 G Green (Malaysia) 75 71 77, H Porteous (RSA) 73 73 77, P Hanson (Swe) 74 74 75.
227 R Echenique (Arg) 74 74 79.
228 M Tullo (Chile) 70 76 82
EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

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