While the wind fell at Trump International on Saturday, the score also did the score, with the 64 remaining players used relatively benign conditions to conflict with the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship. And after 54 holes it was Bo van Pelt who took the lead on -2 after a spot-free 68-the American who took a one-shot ahead of Darren Fichardt in South Africa, which corresponded to the four round of Van Pelt.
The English pair of Simon Khan and Andrew Marshall are two back on +1, although they enjoyed different fortunes in round three. Khan hit an excellent 69, while Marshall, who kept in charge after 36 holes, was only a shot back with two to play, but Bogeyed 17 and 18 on the way to a 75.
PGA Professional Damian Moeney, former champion Peter Baker and Dutchman Maarten Lafeber are all at +2, with Ryder Cup player Phillip Price and Legends Tour tour Anthony Wall back on +3.
Maid victory?
With 18 holes to go on Sunday, Van Pelt was delighted to have a chance to win a Legends Tour victory. “I am really happy how I played,” he said afterwards. “Every time you can go bogey-free around this place, you will be happy. There was less wind today, but it is still a really difficult job. Every big miss can mean a double or triple and there are few places where you can take a wide side from the game. So the ball is very good, and so far I have been able to do this week.”
And after he had played left for the first time on the Open Championship 2004 in Royal Throne, Van Pelt has grown to enjoy the challenge of Seaside Golf. “It just challenges every part of your game. Fortunately I have been to Oklahoma for 30 years, so I am quite used to winding. I told my son, who has never been hered before,” the song doesn’t really matter. It’s all about trajectory and touching the ball solidly ‘. And that is probably the thing that I am most proud of this week, my distance check from my IRS is good, so I just need it again.
“I was super enthusiastic when I discovered that I had status on the Legends tour and I am looking forward to playing as much as possible. I was almost four years without golf, so when I got 50, I was not burned out. I was excited to play and to play a beautiful location, I feel like the happiest man in the world.”
South African Fichardt also enjoys a first season on the Legends tour after being 50 in May and ending second in his first event in the OFX Irish Legends. “It was good today,” he said. “Thursday was terrible and yesterday we just knew what we would get, so it was easier to prepare. I played pretty well yesterday, unfortunately I made a lot of mistakes – seven birdies for level par. So I knew I was playing well and clearly fighting well, so I just thought I would just go to the same mindset and I did today.”
The Fichardt match is well primed after a three -week piece for the tournament that the Swiss Senior Open, the Open Championship at Royal Portush and the ISPS Handa Senior Open in Sunningdale, has included in Sunningdale. “It is definitely a good preparation. This golf course, it doesn’t leave much room for mistakes. I really enjoy the test, just try to keep the same plan, play a percentage of play and hopefully to have a stress -free morning.”
Double Masters champion José María Olazábal rolled back the years with a credit-worthy-par round to sit on +5 in a share for 15one Place leader Michael Jonzon and Ryder Cup player Stephen Gallacher next to the first round.
The Englishman Greg Owen has meanwhile celebrated the lowest round of the week, a bogey-free 66 while he continues to recover from an opening day 82. Friday 75 was a seven-shot improvement, with the 66 of Saturday another nine shots better and good enough for 24th place.
“Most of us struggled for the first few days, apart from a few great scores,” Owen said afterwards. “It just felt like you could really play golf today, because it survived so far. I had nothing to lose today. You have to play well, it is very competitive, but I feel that I have the game here to win here. So if I get the opportunity, like today, I still want to show what I can do. Everything – I have nothing to defend.
Shot of the Day was from the former Ryder Cup player Joakim Haeggman who made the best possible start of three with a remarkable Albatross two on the Parfive first. After a large ride, the Swede saw its 6-iron of approximately 180 meters disappear into the hole in front of that rarest of all birds that helped in setting up a round of 68 and a share of 29th.
Round four starts earlier in view of the bad weather, check www.legendstour.com For timings and tickets.
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