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Price forges ahead
K Club, July 06: Phillip Price fired a five-under-par 67 to take a three-shot lead after three rounds of the European Open at The K Club.
K Club, July 06: Phillip Price fired a five-under-par 67 to take a three-shot lead after three rounds of the European Open at The K Club.
The 36-year-old Welshman had shared the overnight lead with Darren Clarke, but the Ulsterman's round of 70 left him in a five-way tie for second place on 11 under.
Angel Cabrera of Argentina carded a 66 to join the chasing pack, which also includes Sweden's Jarmo Sandelin (67), Zimbabwe's Mark McNulty (68) and Scotland's Alastair Forsyth (69).
McNulty, at 49, is aiming to become the European tour's oldest-ever winner.
Colin Montgomerie could only shoot a 73 to leave himself 10 shots off the lead, but his round included a hole-in-one at the 187-yard 12th hole.
Price, whose only two previous titles were both in Portugal, has not had a top-five finish since he beat Phil Mickelson to help Europe lift the Ryder Cup at The Belfry last September. He had seven birdies in his round but had to settle for a bogey five at the 17th after pulling his second into the edge of the hazard.
And he had to settle for a closing par five after driving into sand, although Clarke failed to take advantage.
Price hopes his Ryder Cup experience will help him cope with the pressure during his final round.
"It won't be quite as hard as the Ryder Cup because the whole world was watching then and this time it's just Europe," he said.
"But you can still play well when you're nervous. I've proved that, and that's what I hope to be doing tomorrow."
Montgomerie won himself a magnum of champagne and a weekend for two at the course's five-star hotel with his hole-in-one, but it followed four bogeys in his previous six holes
"It was a terrible day," he said. "I played awful.
"My chipping is not good enough. I'm going to practise and see what's what. I hit only one decent shot and I'm very disappointed overall."
Charl Schwartzel, the 18-year-old South African who broke the course record in the second round on Friday with a 64 to stand a shot off the lead, slumped to a third-round 76.
And pre-tournament favourite and world number eight Padraig Harrington could only muster his third 73 in a row.
Bureau Report
Angel Cabrera of Argentina carded a 66 to join the chasing pack, which also includes Sweden's Jarmo Sandelin (67), Zimbabwe's Mark McNulty (68) and Scotland's Alastair Forsyth (69).
McNulty, at 49, is aiming to become the European tour's oldest-ever winner.
Colin Montgomerie could only shoot a 73 to leave himself 10 shots off the lead, but his round included a hole-in-one at the 187-yard 12th hole.
Price, whose only two previous titles were both in Portugal, has not had a top-five finish since he beat Phil Mickelson to help Europe lift the Ryder Cup at The Belfry last September. He had seven birdies in his round but had to settle for a bogey five at the 17th after pulling his second into the edge of the hazard.
And he had to settle for a closing par five after driving into sand, although Clarke failed to take advantage.
Price hopes his Ryder Cup experience will help him cope with the pressure during his final round.
"It won't be quite as hard as the Ryder Cup because the whole world was watching then and this time it's just Europe," he said.
"But you can still play well when you're nervous. I've proved that, and that's what I hope to be doing tomorrow."
Montgomerie won himself a magnum of champagne and a weekend for two at the course's five-star hotel with his hole-in-one, but it followed four bogeys in his previous six holes
"It was a terrible day," he said. "I played awful.
"My chipping is not good enough. I'm going to practise and see what's what. I hit only one decent shot and I'm very disappointed overall."
Charl Schwartzel, the 18-year-old South African who broke the course record in the second round on Friday with a 64 to stand a shot off the lead, slumped to a third-round 76.
And pre-tournament favourite and world number eight Padraig Harrington could only muster his third 73 in a row.
Bureau Report