South African out front but Big Jon eyes a Rahm raid
Christiaan Bezuidenhout yesterday extended his lead to five shots heading into today’s final round of the Andalucia Masters.
However, home favourite Jon Rahm played his way into contention on day three at Valderrama.
South African Bezuidenhout carded a battling 69 to get to 10-under-par on one of Europe’s most feared layouts as he looks for a first victory on the European Tour.
Ryder Cup star Rahm has six solo wins to his name worldwide and he finally seemed to get to grips with a course where he has struggled in the past, matching the lowest round of the day with a 67 to share second place alongside Japan’s Hideto Tanihara.
Rahm turned in 32 with birdies on the fourth, sixth and eighth and then recovered from a bogey on the 15th with a birdie-birdie finish to set the clubhouse target.
The Spaniard said: “The biggest difference today was how I played off the tee, I can’t recall missing many fairways.
“I always had a chance and on that front nine, I putted for birdie pretty much on every hole out there.
“There was maybe a little bit more commitment on some shots but that’s only because I was always in the fairway and always had a chance.
“I’m confident, there are a lot of shots to make up and I’m also aware that every time you play here in the afternoon the wind is going to pick up, the greens are going to get a little firmer every single day.
“If I can get off to a good start and play as solid a nine holes as I did today, I give myself a chance on the back nine.”
Bezuidenhout was four ahead at that point, after a single birdie on the second and he sandwiched a bogey on the 14th with further gains on the 10th and 16th to stretch his advantage.
“Going into Sunday with a five-shot lead is definitely nice,” said the South African.
“Rahm is a great player, he’s top-15 in the world and he’s a legend in Spain, so it will be quite an experience tomorrow.”
Tanihara carded a 68 to sit two shots ahead of Belgian pair Nicolas Colsaerts and Thomas Detry, with tournament host Sergio Garcia and England’s Steven Brown in the group eight shots off the lead.
Scots Grant Forrest and Scott jamieson are a further two shots further back on level par, although they had very different days in the South of Spain.
Jamieson fired a threeover-par 74 to tumble out of contention, while Livingston-native Forrest fired a two-under-par 69 to break par for the first time this week.