Aaronaimingto betopgunbut willneedtohold offmaverick
Aaron Rai takes a one-shot lead into today’s final round of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open after yesterday carding a third-round 67 at Galgorm Castle.
The 25-year-old, who claimed his maiden European Tour title in Hong Kong two years ago, produced a three-under-par third round to advance to eight-under for the week in Ballymena.
Rai held a one-shot overnight lead but was joined at the top when Australian Maverick Antcliff completed his delayed second round with an eagle on the 18th.
The 27-year-old Antcliff then holed a putt from the fringe for a birdie at the first to go ahead as Rai bogeyed the opening hole.
However, Rai made three gains in five holes from the third and, with Antcliff bogeying the second and sixth, regained an advantage which he maintained with two birdies against a single dropped shot on the back nine.
“I’m pleased with the round overall,” said Rai. “It wasn’t easy, the course isn’t playing easy and it wasn’t easy conditions today.
“It’s always different going out in the final group and with the co-lead on day three, so it’s nice to play with that and play relatively freely and solid today.
“It would be incredible to win. Any title on the European Tour is fantastic, the Irish Open has an illustrious history, it’s a huge event, it always has been.
“I want to put that out of my mind going into tomorrow. There’s still a lot of significance to it, but I’ll hope to do the same kind of things and see where it puts us at the end of tomorrow.”
Meanwhile Antcliff said: “It was pretty solid, an early start this morning and having to restart, having to refocus. The birdie on the first helped calm the nerves.
“It was a similar situation last week in Portugal (finishing the second round in the morning), so I’m drawing on those experiences and trying to switch off between rounds, have a coffee and chill out. It wasn’t too bad, but I’m sure I’ll probably feel it in the morning.”
Sweden’s Oscar Lengden, Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and South African Dean Burmester share third on six-under-par.
Leeading Scot is Ewen Ferguson on three-under-par after a level-par third round of 70. His nearest compatriot is Stephen Gallacher on one-over after he also fired a level-par 70.