British Masters R3: Alex Noren opens up three-shot lead at The Grove
Sunday 16 October 2016 09:47, UK
Alex Noren produced a flawless performance on another high-quality third day of the British Masters as he stormed into a three-shot lead at The Grove.
Noren banished the memory of his closing double-bogey on Friday as he fired a six-under 66 without a single blemish on his card to take a commanding into the final day.
Player of the day
As good as Noren was, we've gone for Marcel Siem, who has had a rotten year by his standards with just two top-10 finishes all season and a dozen missed cuts. But he gave himself a great chance to rocket up the world rankings and the Race to Dubai as five birdies over the last six holes capped a superb 65.
Star shot
Scott Jamieson's chip-in for birdie at 10 was an early candidate, but our leader Alex Noren trumped that with a second shot to the 12th described by Mark Roe as "magnificent". His drive avoided dropping in the left fairway bunker by inches, but despite standing in the sand with the ball way above his feet, he made great contact and knocked it to 15 feet. Shame the birdie putt lipped out! That monster birdie putt at the last merits consideration as well.
Biggest disappointment
Obvious one - Beef! The fan favourite struggled to get going early on and turned in 37, and although he finally got a birdie putt to drop at 11, he stuffed his second in the drink at the next and double-bogeyed. He hit back with two birdies before dropping another shot at 16, and he parred in for a 73 which leaves him eight off the lead.
Story of round three
Richard Bland, still seeking his first European Tour win in his 395th start, got off to a cracking start as he extended his overnight lead with birdies at each of the first two holes, but a bogey at the fourth set him back and he was constantly scrambling to save par over the next few holes.
The veteran journeyman could not get out of more trouble at the 12th, although he finally got some more red on his card with a nice putt for a four at the long 15th before doing well to pitch and putt from over the back of the 18th green to salvage a 69 and stay well within striking distance of the leader.
With Bland struggling, Noren seized his chance to take control of the tournament and, after picking up an early birdie at the second, he added another at the sixth before beginning the back nine with a three which took him into the outright lead.
The Swede, twice a winner on the European Tour this season, affected a sublime up and down from thick rough at the long 15th, and he converted a solid approach to the 17th to get to 15 under par - three clear of the chasing pack.
Noren could not go at the final green in two after bunkering his drive, but he atoned for a poor third by rolling in a remarkable 50-foot putt for his sixth birdie of the day, putting him in pole position for a seventh career title.
His compatriot Peter Hanson also kept a bogey off his card as the former Ryder Cup star moved smoothly to 12 under with a five-birdie 66, and he shares second with Bernd Wiesberger (67), Richard Sterne (67) and Tommy Fleetwood (68).
Siem held the clubhouse lead for some time after his remarkable finish, the German bouncing back from a bogey at the 12th to birdie five of the final six holes, and he should have made it six as he missed out at the long 15th.
Lee Westwood continued to produce his best golf for some time and will look to put early pressure on Noren after a bogey-free 67 lifted him alongside Siem on 11 under, with his former Ryder Cup team-mate Graeme McDowell one further back.
McDowell made great strides up the leaderboard with two opening birdies followed by three in a row around the turn, but the putts dried up for the 2010 US Open champion and his frustration was evident when he made a mess of the last and signed off with a scrappy six.
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As for 'Beef'? Well, he'll still draw huge galleries on the final day despite plummeting down the leaderboard to eight under par, and eight strokes behind Noren.
