Spaniard Elvira eyeing a maiden Tour title in stifling Kuala Lumpur
Nacho Elvira increased his chances of securing a maiden European Tour title after closing yesterday’s third round with back-to-back birdies to open a two-shot lead heading into today’s final day of the Maybank Championship.
The 32-year-old Spaniard began the day trailing halfway leader Thomas Pieters by a single shot, but he carded seven birdies and a single bogey at Saujana Golf and Country Club to climb to the top of the leaderboard.
American David Lipsky was alone in second place on 11-under-par, one shot clear of Maximilian Kieffer, Jazz Janewattananond and Scott Hend.
The latter produced a crowdpleasing moment when he found himself in the trees on the last and chose the perfect angle to bounce his third shot off the grandstand and on to the green.
Four-time major champion Ernie Els sat in a share of sixth place on nine-under alongside Benjamin Hebert, who shot a 65 to tie the lowest round of the week so far.
Englishman Oliver Fisher moved to eight-under after producing a 68 which contained six birdies and two bogeys, with countrymen Ross Fisher and Andy Sullivan in the group another shot back.
Elvira is no stranger to the winner’s circle, having won four Challenge Tour titles, but he insists he is not thinking about lifting the trophy today.
After signing for a 66 to move to 13-under-par, he said: “It would be great to start here (winning on the European Tour) but I really don’t think about it too much.
“I like the way things are right now with my swing. I like the way I’ve turned round my season a little bit. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.”
Lipsky countered: “My game is feeling pretty good. These last two days I’ve figured something out and just started clicking.
“The last two or three weeks my putting has held me back, but I’ve been putting well the last two rounds. I’m excited for tomorrow.
“It’s a tricky course so you’re going to make bogeys out there, you’ve just got to make your share of birdies. If I can keep making birdies like I am, I think I’ll be alright.
“If I can shoot the same as I did today or yesterday, I’ll be pretty happy. That’s all I can do, just put myself in position.”
Aussie Hend, a two-time winner on the European Tour, said of his ‘trick shot’ to the last: “We had 120 to the bottom of the board for the third shot on 18. I had to try to hit a six iron 140 to hit the Maybank sign for the angle to get the ball to bounce back on to the green.
“I didn’t have any other shot. Couldn’t go above, if I went low it would have stopped on the green. Just went six iron and a low punch off the board.
“Look at last year, Sharma shot a 10-under 62 in the last round. Somebody is going to light it up, someone always does. So many good players, good depth in the field.
“If I sign for a 62 tomorrow, I’ll be quite happy to sit in the clubhouse and see what happens.”
Aberdeen’s David Law was the only Scot to make the cut, Stephen Gallacher missing out, and fired a two-over-par third-round 74 to lie at two-over par for the tournament.