Wood on song in the desert
Chris Wood has a three shot lead with a round to play in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. Picture Getty ImagesIreland’s trio of hopefuls slipped out of the picture as Chris Wood carded a brilliant eight under par round to take into a three stroke lead into the final round of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
The 6ft 5in Englishman’s towering performance included an eagle, seven birdies and just one dropped shot as he compiled a superb 64 at the Doha Golf Club to move to 15 under par and edge closer to his maiden European Tour win.
Former US Open winner Michael Campbell of New Zealand (68), Sweden’s Alex Noren (66) and England’s Simon Khan, who matched Wood’s outstanding third round score, are tied for second on 12 under.
Damien McGrane remained tied for 31st alongside world No 4 Justin Rose on six under as he made four birdies and two bogeys in his first ten holes in a two under 70 .
But it was a disappointing day for Michael Hoey, who got back to level par with one to play having double bogeyed the par-three third only to finish with a double bogey seven at the 18th for a two over 74.
That dropped the former Amateur champion from the top 20 to joint 52nd on three under while Peter Lawrie’s 71 left him a shot further back in a tie for 57th.
Wood, meanwhile, was more than pleased with his third round score.
“I played pretty nicely,” Wood said. “I wouldn’t say it’s one of my best – it was one of my better ones but not my best.
“I am very excited about tomorrow now. Going out today I thought as long as I kept myself in the mix then I was going to be really looking forward to the final round. To be leading by three gives me a bit of a cushion.”
Wood has yet to win on The European Tour but he tasted victory in the Thailand Open at the end of last year, an achievement that he will certainly draw inspiration from going into the last round.
“I took a lot of confidence from the win in Thailand and I hope that can help me tomorrow,” he added.
While Campbell, Noren and Khan will be Wood’s closest challengers, Wood will be wary of the serious threat posed by fifth placed Sergio Garcia and Branden Grace.
Garcia’s third round 70 leaves him four shots behind the leader, while Grace – The European Tour’s most prolific winner last year after his four victories – carded a five under 67 to haul himself into the mix.
Third round scores
201 C Wood (Eng) 67 70 64;
204 A Noren (Swe) 71 67 66; S Khan (Eng) 67 73 64; M Campbell (Nzl) 68 68 68;
205 S Garcia (Esp) 69 66 70; B Grace (RSA) 70 68 67;
206 G Coetzee (RSA) 69 67 70; M Fraser (Aus) 68 67 71; J Kruger (RSA) 70 68 68; T Olesen (Den) 68 68 70;
207 G Lockerbie (Eng) 67 69 71; A Wall (Eng) 66 71 70; M Kaymer (Ger) 68 67 72; S Webster (Eng) 69 71 67;
208 L Oosthuizen (RSA) 71 69 68; H Stenson (Swe) 70 69 69; J Dufner (USA) 71 70 67; G Mulroy (RSA) 69 68 71; V Dubuisson (Fra) 68 72 68; A Hartø (Den) 68 69 71; L Gagli (Ita) 68 71 69; M Ilonen (Fin) 71 69 68;
209 F Aguilar (Chi) 69 67 73; P Hanson (Swe) 68 73 68; G Fdez-Castaño (Esp) 69 70 70; T Jaidee (Tha) 70 69 70; R Jacquelin (Fra) 73 67 69; R Green (Aus) 68 73 68; A Hansen (Den) 68 71 70; B Rumford (Aus) 67 73 69;
210 A Kaleka (Fra) 66 71 73; J Rose (Eng) 68 71 71; D Howell (Eng) 69 73 68; P Casey (Eng) 70 68 72; D McGrane (Irl) 68 72 70; P Meesawat (Tha) 71 71 68; T Aiken (RSA) 71 68 71;
211 R Wattel (Fra) 72 70 69; J Sjöholm (Swe) 69 72 70; P Whiteford (Sco) 66 73 72; T Björn (Den) 72 69 70; M Lundberg (Swe) 72 67 72; T Fleetwood (Eng) 72 71 68; R Santos (Por) 65 70 76;
212 S Gallacher (Sco) 72 71 69; S Chowrasia (Ind) 70 73 69; D Horsey (Eng) 68 72 72; T Hamilton (USA) 73 69 70; M Manassero (Ita) 69 72 71; R Bland (Eng) 71 69 72; A Sullivan (Eng) 67 71 74;
213 E Goya (Arg) 71 72 70; R Derksen (Ned) 71 69 73; G Havret (Fra) 70 69 74; B Wiesberger (Aut) 70 72 71; Michael Hoey (Nir) 70 69 74;
214 Peter Lawrie (Irl) 72 71 71 ….