Fox climbs leaderboard
Kiwi golfer Ryan Fox has climbed the leaderboard after posting seven birdies in a five-under 67 third round at the Qatar Masters on Saturday (Sunday NZ Time).
The 30-year-old moved into a share of 18th with established stars Ernie Els, Alex Noren and Chris Wood after carding one of the rounds of the day.
Fox had six birdies in his last 10 holes as he blitzed the back nine after carding two bogeys and one birdie in his opening six holes.
But despite improving to sevenunder and moving 39 spots up the leaderboard, Fox trails South Korean leader Jeunghun Wang by eight shots.
Wang broke through a crowded leaderboard with a seven-under 65 to open a three-shot lead with a round to play.
The 21-year-old, who is 15-under, made three birdies around the turn to grab the lead, and never relinquished it with two birdies in his last three holes.
It was the best round on another windy day in Doha.
Spain’s Nacho Elvira and South African Jaco van Zyl both shot four-under 68s to be in a tie for second place at 12-under.
Another South African, Thomas Aiken (69), was a shot further behind in fourth.
Wang, a back-to-back winner on the European Tour last year in May at the Trophee Hassan II and AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, put up an exhibition of shot-making, hitting 16 out of 18 greens in regulation and also completing his round in just 27 putts. He went out in 33, and came back in 32.
‘‘My iron play was really good today and my putting was really good,’’ said Wang, now ranked 60th in the world.
Elvira could have finished much closer to Wang, but a poor tee shot cost him a double bogey on the par-four 15th.
‘‘I think it’s a great round today with these wind conditions,’’ said the 29-year-old Elvira.
Van Zyl was left slightly disappointed despite a bogey-free round of 68. He made only one birdie on the four par-5s, and also missed a couple of short birdie chances.
‘‘I have been hitting it nicely, so yeah, obviously it’s a good score. But really felt like I left quite a lot out there,’’ he said.
Australia’s Scott Hend is threeunder and out of contention after a second consecutive even par 72.