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Scott tied with Lafeber for lead after third round of Scandinavian Masters
Malmo, Aug 03: Adam Scott and Maarten Lafeber share a two stroke lead after the third round of the Scandinavian Masters golf.
Malmo, Aug 03: Adam Scott and Maarten Lafeber share a two stroke lead after the third round of the Scandinavian Masters golf.
Australia's Adam Scott continued his recent putting revival to tie for the Scandinavian Masters third-round lead on Saturday, bringing himself nearer his target of qualifying for the President's Cup team. Scott, avoiding a three-putt for the third day in a row, fired a blemish-free five-under-par 67, drawing level with Dutchman Maarten Lafeber at eight-under 208 and two clear of the field. Lafeber, who opened with rounds of 68 and 71, carded a 69. Britain's Nick Dougherty lost the lead he had held for two days as he slumped to a 74, dropping back into a share of third with Swede Carl Pettersson, who fired a course-record 66, and fellow Britons, Luke Donald (71) and Steve Webster (68). Scott, 23, without a win since claiming last year's Scottish PGA championship by 10 strokes, has been bedevilled by putting woes since losing to Tiger Woods in the WGC Accenture Match Play in early March.
His putting had deteriorated so badly coming into this week's event that he had three-putted at least once in every one of his 17 rounds over the last two months. But hard work on his putting has finally paid off.
Scott said that he has two immediate goals: winning the Scandinavian Masters and getting into Gary Player's International team to take on Jack Nicklaus's United States line-up at the President's Cup in South Africa in November.
The Australian currently lies 15th in the International team's points table and needs to be in the top 10 by the end of the U.S. PGA Championship in two weeks' time.
Lafeber, who moved into a share of the lead by sinking a 25-foot birdie putt at the last, was heartened by his grandstand finish, as he, too, has suffered from recent putting woes.
The 28-year-old Dutch professional has turned to renowned Belgian sports psychologist Jos Vanstiphout for help. Dougherty, three strokes ahead at the start of the round after opening scores of 67 and 69, battled to his 74.
The 21-year-old Englishman will play with his 2001 Walker Cup team mate Donald in Sunday's final round.
Leading scores after the third round of the Scandinavian Masters at the par-72, 7,365-yard Barseback Golf and Country Club on Saturday (British unless stated): 208 Maarten Lafeber (Netherlands) 68 71 69, Adam Scott (Australia) 70 71 67 210 Luke Donald 71 68 71, Nick Dougherty 67 69 74, Carl Pettersson (Sweden) 69 75 66, Steve Webster 70 72 68 211 Robert-Jan Derksen (Netherlands) 73 71 67, Peter Hedblom (Sweden) 70 70 71, Mark James 69 70 72, Richard Johnson (Sweden) 71 71 69, Robert Karlsson (Sweden) 71 69 71, Soren Kjeldsen (Denmark) 71 70 70, Gary Orr 71 71 69 212 Philip Archer 71 70 71, Andrew Coltart 67 76 69, Mark Roe 71 70 71 213 Michael Campbell (New Zealand) 70 72 71, Fredrik Jacobson (Sweden) 71 70 72, Bernhard Langer (Germany) 70 71 72, Adam Mednick (Sweden) 73 69 71, Raymond Russell 72 70 71, Charl Schwartzel (South Africa) 72 72 69, Jamie Spence 74 70 69, Sven Struver (Germany) 72 71 70 214 Mark Foster 74 67 73, Ignacio Garrido (Spain) 72 72 70, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain) 73 70 71, Carlos Rodiles (Spain) 69 72 73
Bureau Report
Australia's Adam Scott continued his recent putting revival to tie for the Scandinavian Masters third-round lead on Saturday, bringing himself nearer his target of qualifying for the President's Cup team. Scott, avoiding a three-putt for the third day in a row, fired a blemish-free five-under-par 67, drawing level with Dutchman Maarten Lafeber at eight-under 208 and two clear of the field. Lafeber, who opened with rounds of 68 and 71, carded a 69. Britain's Nick Dougherty lost the lead he had held for two days as he slumped to a 74, dropping back into a share of third with Swede Carl Pettersson, who fired a course-record 66, and fellow Britons, Luke Donald (71) and Steve Webster (68). Scott, 23, without a win since claiming last year's Scottish PGA championship by 10 strokes, has been bedevilled by putting woes since losing to Tiger Woods in the WGC Accenture Match Play in early March.
His putting had deteriorated so badly coming into this week's event that he had three-putted at least once in every one of his 17 rounds over the last two months. But hard work on his putting has finally paid off.
Scott said that he has two immediate goals: winning the Scandinavian Masters and getting into Gary Player's International team to take on Jack Nicklaus's United States line-up at the President's Cup in South Africa in November.
The Australian currently lies 15th in the International team's points table and needs to be in the top 10 by the end of the U.S. PGA Championship in two weeks' time.
Lafeber, who moved into a share of the lead by sinking a 25-foot birdie putt at the last, was heartened by his grandstand finish, as he, too, has suffered from recent putting woes.
The 28-year-old Dutch professional has turned to renowned Belgian sports psychologist Jos Vanstiphout for help. Dougherty, three strokes ahead at the start of the round after opening scores of 67 and 69, battled to his 74.
The 21-year-old Englishman will play with his 2001 Walker Cup team mate Donald in Sunday's final round.
Leading scores after the third round of the Scandinavian Masters at the par-72, 7,365-yard Barseback Golf and Country Club on Saturday (British unless stated): 208 Maarten Lafeber (Netherlands) 68 71 69, Adam Scott (Australia) 70 71 67 210 Luke Donald 71 68 71, Nick Dougherty 67 69 74, Carl Pettersson (Sweden) 69 75 66, Steve Webster 70 72 68 211 Robert-Jan Derksen (Netherlands) 73 71 67, Peter Hedblom (Sweden) 70 70 71, Mark James 69 70 72, Richard Johnson (Sweden) 71 71 69, Robert Karlsson (Sweden) 71 69 71, Soren Kjeldsen (Denmark) 71 70 70, Gary Orr 71 71 69 212 Philip Archer 71 70 71, Andrew Coltart 67 76 69, Mark Roe 71 70 71 213 Michael Campbell (New Zealand) 70 72 71, Fredrik Jacobson (Sweden) 71 70 72, Bernhard Langer (Germany) 70 71 72, Adam Mednick (Sweden) 73 69 71, Raymond Russell 72 70 71, Charl Schwartzel (South Africa) 72 72 69, Jamie Spence 74 70 69, Sven Struver (Germany) 72 71 70 214 Mark Foster 74 67 73, Ignacio Garrido (Spain) 72 72 70, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain) 73 70 71, Carlos Rodiles (Spain) 69 72 73
Bureau Report