Saturday, October 9, 2010

Westwood in touch as Parry leads

Third-round leaderboard:
-13
J Parry (Eng) C -11 M Kaymer (Ger) C, A Quiros (Sp) C -9 D Willett (Eng) K -8 L Westwood (Eng) C, P Price (Wal) St A, G Boyd (Eng) K -7 P Harrington (Ire) C
Selected others: -6 G McDowell (NI) C, T Bjorn (Den) K -5 R Fisher (Eng) C
-2 E Els (SA) C -1 R McIlroy (NI) C level C Montgomerie (Sco) C
St A - St Andrews C - Carnoustie K - Kingsbarns


Lee Westwood
Westwood copes with an awkward stance in a bunker at the 13th

Lee Westwood carded a fine 66 to move into contention after three rounds of the Dunhill Links Championship.

Westwood, needing to finish in the first two to dethrone Tiger Woods at the top of the world rankings, was 10 shots back after the second day.

But he rolled in seven birdies at Carnoustie to reach eight under par, five shots off the pace.

John Parry led the field by two after a 71, with Ryder Cup man Martin Kaymer firing a 68 to share second spot.

Parry won the Vivendi Trophy the week before the Ryder Cup and has continued that form in Scotland.

He was delighted to keep a high score off his card at Carnoustie: saying: "I would have taken level par round here - it's a tough course and it was windy.

"It was just a grind out there and it will be nice to go back to St Andrews. I'm just going to take the same mindset as I had in Paris into the final round."

Westwood began his round at the 10th in cold blustery conditions on the east coast in Scotland and made an eventful start with three birdies in his first five holes, with a bogey at the short 13th sandwiched between.

606: DEBATE

On his pursuit of the number one ranking, he said: "I think it would be the greatest thing I've ever done, without a doubt.

"I think everybody would like to be able to say they were the best player in the world - anybody who plays professional sport.

"We all know how much work goes into it and to have the accolade of looking at a list and seeing number one against your name means a lot."

The 37-year-old again hinted that he might not play again this year because of his calf problem, adding: "I last about nine holes before it starts getting sore. My main priority is to get into shape for the Masters next April."

Westwood was one of nine members of Europe's victorious Ryder Cup team to tee it up for the tournament, along with skipper Colin Montgomerie.

And it was Germany's Kaymer who ended the third round with the best chance of victory after holing five birdies before dropping his only shot of the day at the ninth - his final hole - where he drove into the fairway bunker.

John Parry
Parry plays into the 18th at Carnoustie where he finished with a bogey

Padraig Harrington had four birdies in a round of 70 at Carnoustie that left him in eighth place, six shots adrift of Parry, with Graeme McDowell one further back after finishing with two bogeys.

Ross Fisher was another to begin from the 10th at Carnoustie and recorded a double bogey at his opening hole, taking 41 to cover his first nine holes.

But the Englishman recovered some lost ground with three birdies, including a two at the short eighth when his tee shot finished four feet from the cup, for a 74.

Colin Montgomerie carded his third successive round of 72, leaving a putt for par on the edge of his final hole, but made the cut by a solitary shot at level par.

But Ryder Cup brothers Francesco and Edoardo Molinari were among those who failed to make it through to the final day at St Andrews, along with Swede Peter Hanson.

Francesco had five bogeys and failed to make a birdie, while Edoardo slipped to an 81 that contained a triple bogey eight, a double bogey and two closing bogeys.

Ryder Cup vice-captains Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley also failed to qualify, Clarke dropping five shots in a 74, also at Carnoustie, while McGinley leaked four shots in three holes at the brutal Angus links.

Potenshöjande medel -

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