Bogey-free Frittelli eyes China Open glory

DYLAN Frittelli will take a three-shot lead into the final day of the Volvo China Open today after continuing his excellent recent form in Beijing.

The South African missed three of his first four cuts this season but has been a picture of consistency since, achieving a season’s best tie for fifth at last week’s Shenzhen International.

He tied the course record with a 63 at Topwin Golf and Country Club on Friday and followed that up with a 64 to get to 19-under on a day when Beijing hit temperatures of 35ºc – the hottest day on record for April. Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal was his nearest challenger after a 70, with Frenchman Alexander Levy then at 12-under.

Challenge Tour graduate Frittelli is going in search of his first European Tour title and will be brimming with confidence after recording 39 bogey-free holes.

“The players out here are some of the best players in Europe and Asia so it’s tough to beat the other players in the field,” he said. “The emotions you go through and the feelings you have in competition coming down the stretch, those are all pretty similar whether it’s winning an amateur tournament or a professional tournament.

“It’s the same type of feeling you have to deal with, so hopefully I can contend well and deal with those emotions.

“I like to think I would keep the same game plan (today) and maybe adjust on the back nine depending on the situation.

“Pablo played great out there as well – he’s not going to lie down, he is one of the toughest guys to get into a dogfight with on the European Tour.”

Home favourites Li Haotong and Yi Cao were also nineunder alongside South African George Coetzee and South Korea’s Soomin Lee. — African News Agency (ANA)