Home hero Otaegui is six clear and on course to secure Valderrama victory
DP WORLD TOUR: ANDALUCIA MASTERS
Home hope Adrian Otaegui will take a commanding six-shot lead into today’s final round of the Andalucia Masters at Valderrama after yesterday posting an impressive third-round 64.
The Spaniard held a share of the lead at the halfway stage but reeled off four birdies in the first six holes of his third round to give himself breathing space at the top.
He bogeyed the seventh but bounced straight back with a birdie on the eighth before having to wait patiently for his next gain, which arrived at the 16th.
Otaegui then made further birdies at the 17th and 18th to head into today’s fourth round on 16-under-par.
His nearest challengers were countryman Angel Hidalgo and Sweden’s Joakim Lagergren on 10-under following their rounds of 70 and 67 respectively.
Australia’s Min Woo Lee was another shot back in fourth, two ahead of fifth-placed Robert MacIntyre, with the Scot making three birdies and only a solitary bogey in his round of 69.
Otaegui was pleased with his performance, saying: “I’m very happy, everything went perfectly today. I putted well, I felt very comfortable.
“The crowds were pushing amazingly, so that was unbelievable.
“I had a very good start with a nice birdie on the second and then three birdies in a row at four, five and six and that gave me a bit of momentum.
“I felt good on the course, tried to enjoy it, tried to stay focused. I missed a couple of birdie putts at the beginning of the front nine but finished with three good birdies.”
Swede Lagergren commented: “I was all over the place, I’ve seen every bit of Valderrama. My scrambling was good, but I need to be better off the tee.
“As soon as you hit a fairway on this course you get yourself in good spots to make birdies. I think I took every chance I could out there today.”
Marc Warren is seven shots back of fellow Scot MacIntyre at level-par in a tie for 22nd, while Conor Syme is at two-over-par, with Stephen Gallacher at three-over.
Richie Ramsay was the only other Scot to make Friday’s cut and is in a tie for 55th at five-over following yesterday’s 74.
LEADERBOARD
(Gbr & Irl unless stated, Par 71) 197 – Adrian Otaegui (Spa) 67 66 64; 203 – Angel Hidalgo (Spa) 70 63 70,
Joakim Lagergren (Swe) 69 67 67; 204 – Min-Woo Lee (Aus) 66 67 71;
206 – Robert MacIntyre 67 70 69; 207–J ordan Smith 69 69 69;
208 – Rasmus Hoejgaard (Den) 69 71 68, Ross Fisher 73 66 69;
209 – John Catlin (USA) 70 68 71;
210 – Thriston Lawrence (Rsa) 69 69 72, Ashun Wu (Chn) 72 69 69, Antoine Rozner (Fra) 72 69 69, Joost Luiten (Ned) 68 74 68;
211 – Marcus Kinhult (Swe) 76 67 68, Jamie Donaldson 74 70 67, Darius van Driel (Ned) 69 71 71;
212 – Nicolas Colsaerts (Bel) 70 73 69, Pep Angles (Spa) 66 75 71, Jazz Janewattananond (Tha) 66 72 74, Lukas Nemecz (Aut) 70 69 73, Andrew Wilson 75 70 67;
213 – Callum Shinkwin 71 73 69, Ignacio Elvira (Spa) 72 70 71, Marcus Armitage 72 67 74, Andy Sullivan 72 69 72, Marc Warren 68 73 72, Romain Langasque (Fra) 73 71 69, Sebastian Garcia (Spa) 68 69 76, Ricardo Gouveia (Por) 69 74 70, Yannik Paul (Ger) 71 68 74.