Bradley Dredge holds a three-shot lead heading into the final round of the BMW International Open in Munich.
Welshman extends lead heading into final round
Bradley Dredge holds a three-shot lead heading into the final round of the BMW International Open in Munich.
The Welshman, who is desperate to earn a Ryder Cup debut on home soil at Celtic Manor in October, carded a bogey-free, five-under-par 67 at the Eichenried course on Saturday to go clear of Ross Fisher and Simon Thornton.
Starting the day with a one-shot advantage, Dredge holed a 50-foot chip on the first before reaching the turn four clear in 33 strokes.
However, his lead was cut back to one again just as soon as Fisher had started his run for home with a birdie-eagle run.
Searching for his first European Tour victory in almost four years, Dredge responded with birdies on the 11th and 13th and parred in from there.
He has dropped from second on the Ryder Cup table to 29th since the opening event last September and has plenty of work to do with only two months left before the visit of the United States.
The 36-year-old said: "It was not the prettiest, but my short game was good again and you've got to be happy with a 67 on the third day.
"I'll be keeping an eye on the board tomorrow and I hope I will be able to assess when to be aggressive or when I can play safe."
Dredge, who has had only one bogey in 54 holes so far and who went away from the field to win his two previous events by eight shots, stands on a total of 18-under-par, with Fisher and Thornton tied for second on 15-under.
Thornton is a qualifying school graduate who has yet to have a top-10 finish on the circuit and who is currently ranked 629th in the world.
Low round
The 33-year-old Yorkshire-born Irishman (67) birdied the 16th and 17th holes to join Fisher (66), who could go seventh in the Ryder Cup standings if he wins this weekend.
The Englishman sounded confident heading into the final round, saying: "I think I am capable of shooting very close to 60. I feel like there's a ridiculously low round in me."
Fisher is looking for his first title since the Volvo World Match Play in Spain last November, but has had a quiet season so far and missed the cut at the US Open last week.
He added: "This week is probably as good as I've hit it for a long time. It reminds me of when I breezed around Wentworth in 64 last year."
Meanwhile, Scotland's former Open champion Paul Lawrie is one shot further back in fourth place following a 68 which included six successive pars over the closing holes.
Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie, who is currently struggling with calf muscle and Achilles tendon problems, shot a 72 to remain six-under.
However, world number eight Paul Casey bogeyed four holes in a row early on and with a 74 dropped to four-under.
