Richard and Bryson in top gear at European Open
Richard Mcevoy and Bryson Dechambeau share the lead heading into today’s final round of the Porsche European Open as both men go in search of a first European Tour title at Green Eagle Golf Courses.
American Dechambeau started round three with a one-shot lead but on a day when two hours and 50 minutes were lost due to lightning in the area, he was caught by Mcevoy.
The Englishman hit the front on his own with a birdie on the ninth and stayed in front as he carded a 69, with Dechambeau birdieing the last for a 70 and a share of top spot at 12 under.
Masters Champion Patrick Reed and Austrian Matthias Schwab had both also held the lead on a day of nip-and tuck, but they were a shot back as the sun set in Hamburg, with England’s Paul Casey at nine-under.
Meanwhile, Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn and South Korea’s Amy Yang were joint leaders after an increasingly tough scoring day in the third round of the ASI Ladies Scottish Open at Gullane.
None of the top five were able to break par, while Yang and Jutanugarn’s two-overpar rounds of 73 gave them a one-shot advantage over the field on eight-under for the tournament.
Australia’s Minjee Lee is their closest challenger – with two more Koreans, Haeji Kang and So Yeon Ryu, a shot further adrift.
Spain’s Carlota Ciganda, a fourth Korean Jin Young Ko and Australia’s Sarah Kemp – down in 10th, despite a 67 for the best round of the day – were among those to make ground into contention.
American Tiffany Joh, who had still led the previous evening after setting the early pace thanks to a course-record 62, hit big trouble on day three - with a nightmare round of 80 to drop down to joint-seventh.
Germany’s Sophia Popov was one of the early starters who made hay before the wind picked up – bagging a hole-in-one on the eighth to follow an eagle on the second. She is nonetheless still seven shots off the lead, in joint 24th.
■ Ayrshire youngster Hazel Macgarvie ( Troon Ladies) achieved a creditable top- 20 finish in the European Women’s Amateur golf championship at the Penati Golf Resort, Slovakia yesterday.
She outshone Hannah Mccook (Grantown on Spey) and Chloe Goadby (St Regulus Ladies) who both missed the thirdround cut on the final day when 36 holes were played.