Dunne ten back in Paris

PARIS, FRANCE - JULY 01: Andy Sullivan of England tees off on the 13th during day three of the HNA Open de France at Le Golf National on July 1, 2017 in Paris, France.  (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Paul Dunne shot a two over 73 to go into the final round ten shot adrift of leaders Peter Uihlein and Alexander Björk in the HNA Open de France in Paris.

The Greystones man is on two-over par in the European Tour’s second Rolex Series event of the season with Uihlein and Bjork one clear of Ryder Cup pair Andy Sullivan and Thomas Pieters.

Englishman Sullivan climbed the leaderboard courtesy of a third round 68, while Belgian Pieters, his teammate from Hazeltine, picked up three shots on the back nine, despite being unable to use his driver which was damaged on the ninth hole, as he signed for a round of 69.

American Uihlein had a share of the lead at halfway mark on eight under par and he maintained that position with a level par round of 71, carding a bogey on the first hole and then regaining that shot on the 14th. 

He was joined at the top of the leaderboard by Sweden’s Björk who carded a round of 70, posting two bogeys on the front nine followed by three birdies on the way in.

In-form Tommy Fleetwood, who is currently second on the Race to Dubai, returned a level par 71 to join Pieters and Sullivan in a share of third place on seven under par.

Meanwhile, France’s Gregory Bourdy received a four-stroke penalty after playing from the incorrect drop zone on the 18th hole and then subsequently signing for the wrong score.  

As a result of the four0shot penalty, Bourdy’s third round score was amended from 75 to an eight-over par 79. 

He will begin the final round at four over par for the tournament, in a share of 54th position.

Adrian Saddier (68) is the leading French player on four under par, in a six-way share of tenth position alongside former World Number One Lee Westwood (71) and World Number Eight Alex Noren, the winner of the inaugural Rolex Series event last month, the BMW PGA Championship.

Andy Sullivan

“It's really positive and it's just nice to come back to somewhere where I've played well previously and get back on the right side of the leaderboard.

“I think you have to be so attentive on this golf course and really be on it all the time. You've got to hit every golf shot exactly where you want it otherwise you end you making doubles and all sorts.”

Thomas Pieters

“Can't really believe that I'm one off the lead with such poor play. Hopefully going to fix that for tomorrow and go low tomorrow, because the leaderboard is very bunched, and somebody at four under could still win it.

“Four fairways today, just so poor on this golf course, you just can't do that. I don't know how I shot 69, I couldn't tell you, but we're at seven under and one off the lead as it stands. So very much looking forward to it tomorrow.

“You definitely get penalised for missing the fairway and that's what I had today. I had a lot of thick lies in the rough and luckily made pars where I needed to make, and even on 17, hit a really good shot out of the rough. But again, that's kind of lucky that it comes out really nicely and goes on the green, just need to hit more fairways tomorrow.”

Peter Uihlein

“It's what you practise for and it's what you play for - to get in contention on Sunday in the final group and see how it goes. I was proud of the way I handled myself on the back nine. I felt like I hit it a lot better after a shaky start. I'm excited for tomorrow for sure.

“I think the way that front nine was set up, it was tough. I don't think I would have wanted to have been out there when the earlier boys were playing. It seemed like the weather was much tougher. I think three under was low today, so it surprised me.

Alexander Björk

“When I got up here, it was really raining a lot and I was warming up in the rain. It only cleared up 30 minutes before our tee time but then started to be a little bit windy, so it was tough out there. I'm happy with the way I played and the way I fought with the start and I came back in the end.

“I got a bad start. I was two over after nine and didn't feel too good and then making three birdies the final nine holes, that's the thing I'm most pleased with today.”

Round Three Scores (Par 71) 

205 P Uihlein (USA) 67 67 71, A Björk (Swe) 66 69 70, 

206 T Fleetwood (Eng) 67 68 71, T Pieters (Bel) 66 71 69, A Sullivan (Eng) 68 70 68, 

207 B Dredge (Wal) 69 69 69, 

208 R Fisher (Eng) 70 67 71, P Waring (Eng) 64 72 72, A Otaegui (Esp) 68 66 74, 

209 L Westwood (Eng) 71 67 71, K Broberg (Swe) 68 71 70, D Drysdale (Sco) 70 69 70, A Noren (Swe) 69 71 69, A Johnston (Eng) 72 68 69, A Saddier (Fra) 68 73 68, 

210 J Rahm (Esp) 70 69 71, M Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 71 69 70, R Fox (Nzl) 73 67 70, G Havret (Fra) 73 66 71, J Luiten (Ned) 69 71 70, 

211 T Olesen (Den) 69 69 73, L Haotong (Chn) 71 70 70, R Rock (Eng) 71 67 73, N Kimsey (Eng) 66 70 75, M Kieffer (Ger) 71 68 72, G Storm (Eng) 71 66 74, G Stal (Fra) 69 73 69, 

212 H Porteous (RSA) 72 67 73, F Molinari (Ita) 71 70 71, R Karlberg (Swe) 68 70 74, I Poulter (Eng) 72 69 71, 

213 E Pepperell (Eng) 71 71 71, L Jensen (Den) 73 69 71, N Elvira (Esp) 72 68 73, B Wiesberger (Aut) 70 69 74, C Shinkwin (Eng) 69 72 72, T Aiken (RSA) 73 67 73, P Larrazábal (Esp) 68 73 72, 

214 R Gouveia (Por) 73 70 71, M Siem (Ger) 69 73 72, J Scrivener (Aus) 73 69 72, N Fasth (Swe) 70 70 74, A Levy (Fra) 69 71 74, 

215 R Langasque (Fra) 73 65 77, M Korhonen (Fin) 72 68 75, P Angles (Esp) 72 70 73, F Aguilar (Chi) 72 67 76, P Dunne (Irl) 70 72 73, 

216 J Donaldson (Wal) 72 69 75, J Lagergren (Swe) 70 72 74, R Sterne (RSA) 73 69 74, J Fahrbring (Swe) 71 70 75, S Hend (Aus) 69 70 77, 

217 J Smith (Eng) 70 72 75, D Brooks (Eng) 72 71 74, C Hanson (Eng) 72 70 75, T Fisher Jnr (RSA) 71 70 76, F Fritsch (Ger) 67 74 76, O Fisher (Eng) 73 69 75, F Zanotti (Par) 69 72 76, G Bourdy (Fra) 70 68 79,

218 D Perrier (Fra) 71 71 76, D Im (USA) 70 72 76, N Bertasio (Ita) 69 70 79, T Jaidee (Tha) 72 71 75, 

219 S Gros (Fra) 73 70 76, M Kaymer (Ger) 69 73 77, J Quesne (Fra) 71 72 76, 

220 T Bjørn (Den) 73 70 77, 

221 C Wood (Eng) 72 70 79, 

222 N Colsaerts (Bel) 70 73 79, 

225 P Khongwatmai (Tha) 71 72 82.