Last-day shoot-out tee-ed up as things getting very tight
Francesco Laporta and Joachim B. Hansen share the lead heading into today’s final round at the AVIV Dubai Championship.
Tommy Fleetwood’s late flurry of birdies kept the Englishman in contention.
Laporta sunk a birdie on the 18th to match Hansen’s thirdround 67 at the Jumeirah Golf Estates, with the joint leaders on 19-under-par.
Hansen said: “It was very good from tee to green, the best I’ve ever played from tee to green. I missed a lot of good chances at the beginning and a few on the back nine. All in all five-under is a good score but it could have been a lot better.
“I’m looking forward to tomorrow. I just need to stay patient, I had a lot of chances out there today, so just stay patient and see what happens.”
Laporta said: “It wasn’t easy this afternoon, it was pretty windy and the greens were getting firmer so I’m really happy with my score.
“My game is pretty good actually. My driver is in good shape and my putting is getting so I’ll try keep that going tomorrow.”
Defending champion Antoine Rozner sits a shot behind on 18-under-par, while Kalle Samooja is in fourth just ahead of Min Woo Lee and Fleetwood, who rattled in six birdies on the back nine for a four-under 68.
Rozner moved three clear at the top of the day, but was unable to improve on his oneshot lead at the start of the weekend across a topsy-turvy third round.
A double-bogey at the fifth proved his undoing, allowing Laporta and Hansen to jump ahead.
Laporta claimed three birdies in the opening seven holes, with Hansen sinking three-in-a-row from the fifth.
Fleetwood endured a battling front nine, but three birdies in four holes from the 10th turned his round on its head.
He commented: “Lucky that I like the back nine!
“It was just a tale of two nines, including yesterday. The front nine was pretty shocking, especially today, just all of it. None of it was there.”
Ryder Cup players Martin Kaymer (65) and Bernd Wiesberger (68) share seventh place with Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond (63) on 15-under-par.
Top Scot is Scott Jamieson in a tie for 24th on 12-underpar, while Bob MacIntyre is a shot further back.
Stephen Gallacher, in his 600th European Tour event is at 10-under after a five-under 67, while Grant Forrest and David Law are at nine and eight-under respectively.