Englishman Mansell shoots five-under 67 at Carnoustie to remain man to catch in Scotland; Rory McIlroy fires seven birdies at St Andrews but is eight shots off the lead- Watch final round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship from 11.30am Sunday, Sky Sports Golf
Saturday 1 October 2022 18:35, UK
Richard Mansell stretched his lead at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship from two strokes to four with a five-under 67 in his third round at Carnoustie as he eyes a maiden DP World Tour victory.
Players have teed up on rotation at Carnoustie, the Old Course at St Andrews and Kingsbarns this week ahead of a 54-hole cut, with the final 18 holes to be contested at St Andrews on Sunday.
Mansell will head to the famous venue as the man to catch on 15 under after carding six birdies and a solitary bogey at Carnoustie on Saturday.
The Englishman's nearest challengers are countryman Daniel Gavins, New Zealand's Ryan Fox and Sweden's Alex Noren on 11 under - Gavins birdieing two of his final three holes at Kingsbarns and Fox carding a seven-under round at the same venue.
South Africa's Oliver Bekker was also on 11 under when he headed to the 18th tee at Kingsbarns - only to then suffer a nightmare quadruple bogey to tumble back to seven under for the tournament.
That wrecked a fine round from Bekker with the South African previously carding six birdies and an eagle, but he had to settle for a three-under 69.
Mansell, who has three top-five finishes this year, said: "I played really, really good. My coach, Mike Kanski, has helped massively and I feel really in control of my golf game right now, in control of my golf ball.
"I've been in contention a lot this year and had chances on Sundays. They say in golf that you don't lose, you learn. That's what I feel like I've done really well this year.
"There's a lot of golf left. It's links golf, anything can happen. It's St Andrews. People can shoot 60. I'm just really focused on myself right now.
"I'm going to try and shoot a good score, see where it puts me, and not worry about anyone else."
Rory McIlroy - who was right in contention to win the Open Championship at St Andrews over the summer before being edged out by Cameron Smith - is eight strokes behind Mansell on seven under.
The World No 2 bogeyed his first hole at the Old Course on Saturday but that was the only blemish of his day, with seven birdies propelling him to a six-under round of 66.
McIlroy told Sky Sports: "The rain yesterday softened the course up so even though it was windy out there the ball was stopping roughly where it landed and that made it quite scoreable.
"I find it hard to see how someone doesn't go out there and shoot at least a couple under. It's as easy as it can be right now.
"If I could shoot eight under [on Sunday] you'd have to make Mansell shoot under par so that's a target."
Robert MacIntyre, hoping to be the first Scottish winner of the Alfred Dunhill since Colin Montgomerie in 2005, is on the same seven-under mark as McIlroy after a one-under 71 at St Andrews.
Shane Lowry was one of those to miss the cut - the 2019 Open champion ending on two over after three rounds.
Watch round four of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship live on Sky Sports Golf from 11.30am on Sunday.
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