Wood cruising in Mallorca
Mallorca, Spain (Sports Network) – Chris Wood played rather conservatively all day Saturday, shooting a one-under 69 to increase his lead after three rounds of the Iberdrola Open.
Wood entered the clubhouse at nine-under 201, four shots better than anybody else at Pula Golf Club. He has an excellent chance to post his first European Tour win after recording his second career 54-hole lead.
“It was one of those days where everyone just had to hang in there a little bit,” Wood said. “The course has definitely firmed up a lot, and it’s playing shorter and shorter. I was hitting four and five-irons off tees to start the week, and now I’m hitting six and sevens.”
He previously led after three rounds of the 2010 BMW PGA Championship, but recorded a 77 on Sunday to finish in a share of sixth. Wood nearly captured the Africa Open earlier this year, but lost a playoff to reigning British Open champ Louis Oosthuizen.
Wood entered the day with a three-shot lead and had only two birdies and a bogey to stay atop the leaderboard comfortably the entire afternoon.
Shane Lowry made the biggest move of the day, tying Gregory Bourdy’s course record set on Thursday with a seven-under 63. Lowry moved into a share of second at minus-five with Darren Clarke, who recorded his second straight even-par 70 on Saturday.
Course designer Jose Maria Olazabal moved into fourth with a four-under 66, putting him at minus-four for the tournament.
Bourdy (67), the first-round leader, shares fifth with Scott Jamieson (69) and David Lynn (71).
There was no movement at the top of the leaderboard, as Wood maintained his distance from the field the entire afternoon.
He knocked in a 10-footer for birdie at the opening hole, quickly opening up a four-shot advantage.
Wood didn’t take many chances, laying up when necessary and avoiding the disastrous hole. He did it perfectly, parring the remaining eight holes on the front nine.
After missing an eight-foot birdie putt on the ninth, Wood two-putted from the fringe of the green on the par-five 10th for birdie, giving him his largest lead of the day at five shots.
“If you’re not enjoying it when you’re leading a tournament, you’re not doing the right thing,” Wood said. “I’m exactly where I want to be, and I’m really looking forward to going next morning.”
Wood had a nice par save at the 11th when his second shot landed off the green and near a drain cover. He asked an official for a drop, but was denied, and still landed the chip to a few feet.
His lone misstep of the day was at 14, where a poor tee shot landed off the fairway, leading to a bogey. Wood had a chance to get back to 10-under with a seven-foot birdie putt at the last, but it lipped out, leaving him with a four-shot advantage heading to Sunday.
“I’m really looking forward to tomorrow and potentially a big day,” Wood said. “It’s just another round of golf, and I’ll treat it like that.”
Lowry had an eagle, six birdies and a bogey in his stellar round, leaving him in contention for his second European Tour title. He hasn’t finished in the top-10 since a seventh-place showing at the Scottish Open last year.
NOTES: Wood is the lone player in the field to have three rounds under 70…Wood’s birdie on 10 on Saturday was his first birdie at a par-five in the tournament…The ninth hole played as the most difficult of the tournament on Saturday, with over a half-stroke over par on average and just one birdie, by Marcel Siem.
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