Canter and Mcgowan hold joint lead at Italian Open
Laurie Canter and Ross Mcgowan shared a three-shot lead heading into the final round of the Italian Open as the English pair went in search of potentially careerchanging victories in Brescia.
Canter set the pace at Chervo Golf Club with an opening 60 and a third-round 69 kept him at the summit, but he had Mcgowan for company at 19 under after the 38-year-old carded a 67.
Mcgowan claimed his first and so far only European Tour win 11 years ago during a run of form that saw him almost make Colin Montgomerie’s Ryder Cup team at Celtic Manor.
Since then he has bounced between the European and Challenge Tours but after an eagle, six birdies and three bogeys in round three, he has a chance to once again establish himself on the top circuit.
“A win would probably change the outlook for the rest of the year, next year and hopefully for the next few years after that,” he said,
“I’m not getting any younger so it would be quite handy to win one nice and early.”
Canter claimed a first European Tour top 10 in August after 78 events across nine seasons, and finished with three birdies in round three as he seeks a maiden victory.
“I definitely feel confident I can go out and stick to what I’m doing,” he said. “I don’t know if that will be good enough.
“I have a feeling tomorrow a few people a couple of shots back will pull the anchor up and go for it and somebody’s going to go low tomorrow, so Ross and I and those around us will have to keep going forward to be up there.”
South African Dean Burmester was at 16 under, a shot ahead of 2012 Ryder Cup hero Nicolas Colsaerts and
German Sebastian Heisele.
Spaniard Adri Arnaus and Finn Tapio Pulkkanen were five shots off the lead, a shot ahead of a group containing twotime Major champion Martin Kaymer, defending champion Bernd Wiesberger and Northern Ireland’s Jonathan Caldwell.
Burmester said: “I played really well the front nine while the wind was up. Played nicely for 11 holes and then on the 12th hole I fell asleep over a two-footer which has been happening a lot lately.
“But it was nice to bounce back from that with a birdiebirdie finish. That gets me in with a chance tomorrow.”
Nicolai Hojgaard (Den) 67 67 71, Chris Paisley 69 67 69, Steven Tiley 68 71 66.
– Marcus Armitage 67 70 69, Yi-keun Chang (Kor) 70 66 70, Kristoffer Reitan (Nor) 66 70 70, Bryce Easton (Rsa) 68 69 69, Oscar Lengden (Swe) 65 71 70, Hurly Long (Ger) 69 69 68, Adrian Otaegui (Spa) 67 67 72.
– Cormac Sharvin 69 69 69, Damien Perrier (Fra) 65 71 71, Toby Tree 68 69 70, Jorge Campillo (Spa) 68 71 68, Gonzalo FernandezCastano (Spa) 68 69 70, Francesco Laporta (Ita) 68 70 69, Joachim B. Hansen (Den) 64 69 74, Antoine Rozner (Fra) 68 71 68, Marcel Schneider (Ger) 69 70 68.
– Matt Wallace 68 68 72, Maverick Antcliff (Aus) 70 67 71, Federico Maccario (Ita) 70 70 68, Aaron Cockerill (Can) 67 72 69, Scott Jamieson 68 69 71, Lee Westwood 72 67 69.