PRIDE & GLOOM
Garcia makes light of late finish
Sergio Garcia birdied the 18th hole in the dark to put clear daylight between him and the rest of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic field.
The Spaniard carded a third round of 68 at Emirates GC to finish 16 under, three shots ahead of Ryder Cup team- mate Henrik Stenson at the end of a day which had started at 7.30am local time and finished well after sunset.
Play had been suspended on Friday after several trees were blown over by strong winds and players who had not managed to complete their rounds returned on day three to far more favourable conditions.
Garcia resumed on the sixth hole and reeled off three straight birdies on his way to a 67 and a three-shot halfway lead, which the 37-year- old managed to maintain in dramatic fashion.
Having started the back nine of round three with three birdies in four holes to move four shots clear, Garcia three-putted the 15th before driving the green on the short 17th to set up a birdie and holing from eight feet for another on the last.
Asked if it had been risky to finish as darkness quickly descended, Garcia said: “Maybe a little bit. We all looked at each other on 17 and we didn’t want to come here on Sunday for just two or three shots and have to wake up so early again.
“I didn’t think it was going to get dark that quickly but I guess it proved the right thing because our group finished eagle-birdiebirdie, so that’s pretty cool.
“I felt l ike I hit a lot of qual ity shots, lots of good bunker shots and chips. Unfortunately a couple of bad putts here and there, but other than that I felt very comfortable all week.
“I just need to keep doing more of the same and believing in myself. If I manage to do that hopefully I will be here with the trophy.”
Stenson hit a 67 to finish 13 under, although the European No.1 could be left to rue missing short birdie chances on the 16th and 17th. The Open champion said: “It wasn’t pretty early on but I steadied the ship and played a pretty solid back nine.
“I had a lot of chances so i t could have been one or two better, but very pleased to sneak that one i n on the last. It was hard to get the pace right on the first putt in the dark.
“It’s important to try to keep the pressure on Sergio. If I can get one or two back on the front nine it could bee really interesting on the back nine.”.”
Scot Stephen Gallacher carded a 69 to sit four under, with Scotttt Jamieson two shots further backk after a 72 and Paul Lawrie onene over after his 74.