Arnaus goes three clear in Ras Al Khaimah

Tournament: Ras Al Khaimah Challenge Tour Grand Final
Venue: Al Hamra Golf Club, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
Hashtag: #RAKGrandFinal

This image of Adri Arnaus must be credited to Getty Images 

Adri Arnaus navigated windy conditions on his way to a five under par 67 and will take a three-stroke lead into the final round of the Ras Al Khaimah Challenge Tour Grand Final.

The Spaniard co-led through the first two rounds but made six birdies and only one bogey to equal the low round of the day and put some daylight between himself and the rest of the field.

During a consistent campaign the 24 year old has notched 14 top-20 finishes and missed only three cuts in his maiden season on the European Challenge Tour.

For Arnaus, The Road to Ras Al Khaimah Number Nine will look to cap it off in style, by sealing a European Tour card with his first win on Europe’s top developmental tour.

With only one round remaining in the 28^th and final event of the season, the battle to finish inside the top 15, and secure a life-changing promotion to the European Tour, has reached a fever pitch.

Romain Langasque, who graduated from the Challenge Tour in 2016, currently sits in a four-way tie for second place on 11 under par and if he is able to maintain or better that position at the end of the Grand Final, he would bump out England’s Tom Murray and earn the final spot in the top 15.

Dutchman Daan Huizing, also in a tie for second, came into the Ras Al Khaimah Challenge Tour Grand Final positioned 38^th in the Rankings, needing a win to graduate.

If the 28 year old is able to eclipse Arnaus tomorrow, he would secure his third Challenge Tour title and earn a shot at redemption on the European Tour after he failed to keep his card in 2014 — his only full season on Europe's top tier.

Sean Crocker came into the week as Road to Ras Al Khaimah Number 13, but after 12 holes today, when he was two over par, things seemed to be spiralling out of control for the American.

Four birdies on the final six holes proved to be the perfect remedy for the 22 year old, who is now projected to finish ninth in the Rankings should he hold his current position – tied second.

France’s Victor Perez rounds out the quartet sharing second place, and a second consecutive Challenge Tour win would see the Foshan Open champion top the season-long points race.

David Law, currently projected finish of 14^th place in the Rankings, faces added pressure after cracking his driver during a practice session following his second round.  

The Scot put a replacement driver in his bag today, which he quickly benched after a horrific six over par through six-hole start. After changing to his three wood the Aberdonian went on to salvage his round with four consecutive birdies on the back nine to claw his way back into the mix with a 75.

Player quotes:

Adri Arnaus

“I am enjoying the week and everything has been working well.  It would be very special for me to win this tournament, overall it has been a great and fun year and to end it with a victory would be awesome.
“It’s important that I get a good result as I want to finish as high as I can in the Road to Ras Al Khaimah Rankings. That could be the difference in getting into more European Tour events next season. There are 18 more holes to play and at the end of the day we will see what happens.”
Romain Langasque
“I feel like my game has been pretty solid this week but I seem to mess up one or two holes. It was difficult out there today due to the wind and the course was tough work so it’s hard to have a perfect round.
"I’ve given myself a chance of securing a European Tour card which is really special for me and I will give everything until the end. I need to stay calm and focused heading into the final round and hopefully, I can achieve my objective.”
Sean Crocker
“I know I shot eight under yesterday but this golf course showed its teeth today in the wind. When I got over par I told myself I needed to take a chance and make some birdies on my way in.
“I have come close now three times in the last few weeks by either coming third or losing out by just one or two shots so I really want to finish the season off with a win. I wanted to keep within touching distance of Adri and now I have done that I hope I play well tomorrow.”

Daan Huizing
"I’m feeling really good and happy with the position that I’ve put myself in. I’m having a lot of fun out on the course with my caddie and girlfriend so it’s been a pleasure to play some great golf and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.

Getting into the top 15 of the Rankings is huge; it’s what we all work for. It’s all to play for tomorrow. I just need to play my golf and keep having fun and give it the best I have."

Scores after Round Three:
par 216 (3x72)

202 A Arnaus (Spn) 66 69 67
205 R Langasque (Fra) 67 69 69, V Perez (Fra) 67 69 69, D Huizing (Netherlands) 70 67 68, S Crocker (USA) 71 64 70,
206 J Hansen (Den) 72 67 67,
207 J Lima (Portugal) 70 66 71,
208 J Senior (Eng) 71 70 67,
209 N Lemke (Swe) 66 74 69, J Girrbach (Sui) 74 66 69, R MacIntyre (Sco) 71 66 72, L Johnston (Sco) 69 70 70,
210 M Kim (S Kor) 69 73 68, C Hill (Sco) 70 72 68,
211 D Van Driel (Netherlands) 71 67 73, S Soderberg (Swe) 69 74 68, K Koivu (Fin) 68 74 69,
212 M Hoey (NIre) 75 69 68, L Gagli (Ita) 71 67 74, A Karlsson (Swe) 72 72 68, G Forrest (Sco) 71 70 71, J Singh Brar (Eng) 72 70 70,
213 D Law (Sco) 69 69 75, M Iten (Sui) 70 72 71, T Murray (Eng) 67 72 74,
214 P Figueiredo (Por) 71 71 72, K Samooja (Fin) 71 72 71, O Lengden (Swe) 73 69 72,
215 O Wilson (Eng) 72 71 72, M Orrin (Eng) 72 76 67, A Rozner (Fra) 71 71 73, E Johansen (Nor) 73 71 71,
216 M Schneider (Ger) 70 73 73, B Virto (Spn) 69 75 72,
217 S Tiley (Eng) 73 72 72,
218 B Stow (Eng) 76 69 73, E Ferguson (Sco) 70 73 75, S Forsström (Swe) 70 72 76, K Johannessen (Norway) 72 75 71,
219 H Leon (Chi) 74 69 76, R McGowan (Eng) 74 73 72,
220 S Manley (Wales) 73 73 74, P Mejow (Ger) 69 73 78,
221 N Geyger (Chi) 76 69 76, 

                                                     

 

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Perez beats MacIntyre in play-off to secure 

European Tour card for 2019

Victor Perez secured his 2019 European Tour card with a dramatic play-off victory over left-handed Scpt Robert MacIntyre at the Foshan Open in China today.
Several players jostled for the lead throughout the final day but it was Perez and MacIntyre who were tied after 72 holes, with the Frenchman posting a three under 69 and the Scot a seven under 65 to finish on 19 under par in total. 
They returned to the 18^th hole for a play-off and it was Perez who emerged triumphant, holing a birdie after the Scot could only card a par. Perez earned 62,960 euros while MacIntyre picked up a cheque for 47,909 euros.
MacIntyre had halves of  34-30 and 34-31 in his blistering finish.

With his win in Foshan, the 26 year old Perez moves to second on the Road to Ras Al Khaimah and after securing a memorable victory, he admits to experiencing a roller-coaster of emotions during a tough final day.
“It was actually really hard to go off with the lead, on a course like this which is playable,” he said. “Everybody is going to come at you.
“Even the guys at 11 under could have shot eight under and been in the play-off today. It was a little bit windier and it made some of the holes a little bit harder.
“I think Peter, my caddy, and I did a really good job of just staying patient and waiting for holes to get looks. The stress on top of everything makes a 15-footer become a 22-footer and all of a sudden you’re thinking about two-putting.
“I was so close last year and just came up short with a little lack of experience. I feel like I played such great golf since August with all those top tens and top 15s. I couldn’t be happier.
“I’ve really been getting myself in positions without getting the results I wanted. I was hoping I’d capitalise at some point and it just happens to be in the biggest week of the year.”
MacIntyre had set the clubhouse lead at 19 under par with an incredible eagle on the 18^th hole which sent the Foshan crowd into frenzy and after hearing the celebrations, Perez knew he had work to do with two holes to play before holing a phenomenal putt of his own on the final hole.
“I heard the reaction to Robert MacIntyre’s putt,” he said. “We were on the 17^th fairway and we heard the biggest roar. I turned to Peter and went ‘oh no, somebody did it’.
“I was expecting something because I knew Jack Singh Brar was making a run and Max Orrin was right there making a run, Sean Crocker was making a run and it could’ve been anybody’s tournament.
“One shot could have dropped you four or five places, it was really nerve-wracking coming down the stretch.
“I got a bit of grace on 18 with that huge putt, it’s a one in a million type of putt. I haven’t dropped one all week and then I drop one and it happens to be there on 18.
“A play-off is a play-off, it can go either way and I was fortunate to come out on top today.”
Perez now heads into the Ras Al Khaimah Challenge Tour Grand Final with a chance to top the Rankings, something which the Frenchman is relishing. 

Perez and MacIntyre topped a packed leaderboard at the end of the Foshan Open, with Sean Crocker and Max Orrin finishing one shot behind on 18 under par. Englishman Jack Singh Brar and Darius van Driel, of The Netherlands, were a shot further back on 17 under.
Oscar Lengden, Adrian Meronk and Jack Wilson finished on 16 under, while Ewen Ferguson (9,416 euros) and Francesco Laporta finished tied tenth on 15 under. 
Aberdonian David Law tied for 12th place on 14 under 274. He earned 7,622 europs
It’s all change on the Road to Ras Al Khaimah heading into the Grand Final, with Pedro Figueiredo, Oliver Wilson and Dimitrios Papadatos dropping out of the top 15, being replaced by Perez, MacIntyre and Crocker.

Read more at http://www.europeantour.com/challengetour/season=2018/tournamentid=2018772/news/newsid=359840.html#ZZo72LrmSiEQ4J3R.99