Finns getting interesting as pair chase a maiden title
Kalle Samooja recorded a five-under-par round of 66 yesterday to join overnight leader Nicolai von Dellingshausen at the top of the leaderboard heading into today’s final round of the Tenerife Open.
Both of the leaders are seeking a maiden European Tour win, with 2018 European Challenge Tour graduate Samooja having lost out in a play-off in each of his full seasons on Tour.
Von Dellingshausen entered the third round with a three-shot lead at Golf Costa Adeje, and he kept his nose in front for most of the day as his rivals closed in, signing for a one under par round of 70 to get to 17 under par after holing a crucial putt on the last.
Finn Samooja recorded six birdies and a single bogey in his round of 66 to join the German at the summit, one shot clear of South African Dean Burmester, who had a rollercoaster back nine that included three birdies, three
bogies and an eagle.
Samooja said: “My short game was pretty spot on today.
“The ball -triking hasn’t been that pretty, especially today, so you need to find something in your game that works.
“I didn’t change my game plan. I think the wind was pretty much the same as we had yesterday afternoon and evening, so we kind of got used to it when it was a little tricky.
“‘Play better on Saturday’ is the first thing I have learned. I’ve been playing pretty bad on Saturdays. But it’s a learning process and it’s a long week.
“Four days is a lot of good golf to play. It’s pretty tightly packed and anything can happen so you need to be relaxed and make a lot of birdies.”
Sebastian Garcia Rodriguez is the leading Spanish player at 15 under par alongside Poland’s Adrian Meronk and Yikeun Chang of South Korea, with another Spaniard in Alfredo Garcia-Heredia, South African Garrick Higgo and American pair Sean Crocker and John Catlin one shot further back.
It was a day to forget for Scotland’s Scott Jamieson as he slid down the leaderboard after being unable to replicate his stunning form from Friday when he signed for a 61.
This time round he had to settle for a round that was 10 shots worse off than that sparkling display – including four-putting the last for a bogey.
His fellow Scot Richie Ramsay signed for a threeunder 68 to sit at nine-under in a share of 35th, while Grant Forrest is at four-under following a four-over 75.