FOCUS ON Hend hoping to be a Swiss hit but Alex has Swede dreams
AUSTRALIA’S Scott Hend will take a one-shot lead over Sweden’s Alex Noren into the final round of the Omega European Masters after the pair experienced contrasting fortunes in Crans-sur-Sierre.
Hend cruised three shots clear of the chasing pack with five birdies in the first 10 holes but saw his lead reduced when playing partner Noren holed from 50 feet for birdie on the 17th.
The 2009 champion then enjoyed two huge slices of luck on the last when his wayward drive hit a spectator and stayed out of the trees, from where his mis-hit approach bounced over the water short of the green and onto the putting surface.
In contrast, Hend’s drive finished on a cart path to the right of the fairway and the 43-year-old went on to make his only bogey of the day to card a 65 and finish 13-under-par.
“We had perfect conditions for scoring today, so if you’re not going forward you’re going to be lapped by the rest of the field,” Hend said.
“I can’t complain — I left a few shots out there but made up for that by making some great par saves.
“I thought it was a bit unfortunate on the 18th to bounce down the cart path between the bunkers. If I was in the bunker I could have just dumped it in the middle of the green and made par.
“I was a bit worried about hitting the tree in front of me and then hitting it in the water so thought ‘You know what, if you make a five so be it, just don’t really mess it up and put a big number on the card’.”
Noren, who won his fourth European Tour title in the Scottish Open in July, carded a total of five birdies and one bogey in his 66 and admitted: “I had some very good fortune on 18.
“I didn’t hit the very best of tee shots and I was down the right. I tried to hit way past the pin but my caddie thought I needed one more club and I thought it was enough with what I hit. It just bounced over the ditch.
“It was a good day. It’s a little bit drier and bouncy and Hend was playing really well from the start, making birdies, and he was four under through nine. I was just trying to hang in there.”
Scotland’s David Drysdale shot a best-of-the-day 64 to sit on eight under.
FORMER Masters champion Ian Woosnam powered his way into a share of the lead at the Travis Perkins Masters after a fine four-under-par 68 in testing conditions over the Duke’s Course at Woburn Golf Club saw him move to the top of the leaderboard.
The Welshman carded six birdies and two bogeys to tie for the lead with Switzerland’s Andre Bossert.