Fitzpatrick eyes a Matt finish but lefty Bob has sights on a first victory
Matthew Fitzpatrick birdied four of his last six holes yesterday to surge up the leaderboard and take a one-shot lead into today’s final round of the Italian Open.
The Englishman had started the day in Rome a shot clear of the rest of the field but was one over after 10 holes before his big finish sent him back to the summit.
The 2016 Ryder Cup star’s round of 68 moved him to 13-under, one clear of America’s Kurt Kitayama and two ahead of Scot Robert Macintyre.
Fitzpatrick has four runner-up finishes worldwide in the 2019 season so far, but will be going in search of a fifth professional career win today.
“To put myself one in front gives me a little bit of help,” said the man from Sheffield.
“I’m just looking forward and I’m ready to go already.
“Coming down the hill on the 12th it didn’t feel like I should be one-over. I didn’t hit as many good shots as I would have liked around the turn so that cost me a little bit and put me back.
“To finish the way I did was great.”
An opening birdie from inside 10 feet was the perfect start for Fitzpatrick. But he dropped shots at the second and 10th before holing a five-foot putt for birdie at the 13th and sandwiching a long putt on the 16th with gains at the par-five 15th and 17th.
Macintyre also has three runner-up finishes in 2019 and will be looking for a first win on a top-flight tour after carding a bogey-free 64 – joint lowest of the day – one shot better than Kitayama.
The lefty from Oban said: “That round is right up there. I seem to be getting in positions and just letting it fall away. But today, me and Greg have been talking about just staying in the present. Just do what we do, and today, we done that. We managed to get a good result.
“When I get too aggressive, it actually affects me. So it’s just about playing to my strengths and the course kind of suits the driver. So we’re just going at it this week and it seems to be working.
“My goal now is just trying to get my mind off trying to win. It’s about trying to get as many World Ranking points as I can to try to end the season as high as possible.
Everybody knows why they want to end the season high, but the win is irrelevant of what I’m trying to achieve. I’ve just got to go and play my game, and if the win comes, well, I’m sure I’ll celebrate it.”
England’s Matt Wallace and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger were at 10-under, a shot clear of Dane Soren Kjeldsen.
World No. 5 Justin Rose had a day to forget, with a seven-overpar 78 leaving the Englishman 13 shots off the lead.
Macintyre’s fellow-scot Stephen Gallacher is in a share of 28th place on three-under-par following a two-under 69.