Fitzpatrick takes two-shot advantage
CRANS-SUR-SIERRE: Defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick fired a brilliant 63 to take a two-shot lead into the final round of the €2.5million (RM12million) European Masters in Switzerland on Saturday.
The Englishman was one of the contenders left disappointed when European Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn selected his wild cards on Wednesday but he showed no ill effects in CransMontana, charging to 14 under with a b ogeyfree effort.
Frenchman Mike LorenzoVera was his nearest challenger, with England’s
Daniel Brooks one of five players in a group four shots off the lead.
“It was really, really good,” he told europeantour.com on Saturday.
“I would say that everything went well today. I drove it really solid and made some great upand-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.”
Dane Lucas Bjerregaard, American Doug Ghim, South African Haydn Porteous and China’s Wu Ashun were alongside Brooks at 10 under.
Malaysia’s Gavin Green produced an impressive performance on the third day of the event from joint 36th to joint eighth.
The 24-year-old posted a seven-under 63 with three consecutive birdies on the front nine, followed by four straight birdies on the back nine, making up for a three-day total of nine-under 201.