Everything you need to know from Moving Day at the fourth Rolex Series event of the season.
Ludvig Åberg was in command, Tommy Fleetwood had a little help from his friends, Ryan Fox was looking to emulate a hero and Rory McIlroy got very, very lucky on day three of the BMW PGA Championship.
Here is everything you need to know from round three at Wentworth Club.
Åberg stays on top
Ludvig Åberg will take a two-shot lead into the final round as he looks to add a Rolex Series title to his recent meteoric rise. The Swede only turned professional in June after a stellar amateur career that saw him become a collegiate superstar en route to topping the World Amateur Golf Ranking. His transition into the paid ranks has been seamless, with a maiden DP World Tour victory in Switzerland earlier this month followed by selection to take on the United States in the Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club. A 66 on day three at DP World Tour HQ moved him to 16 under and he now has the chance to make it back-to-back wins, with Ryder Cup team-mate Tommy Fleetwood and Scot Connor Syme his nearest challengers. "Even if I wasn't leading, I'd be looking forward to playing a Sunday round at Wentworth," he said. "Such an iconic place and I'm just fortunate to play good golf the last three days and hopefully I'll keep playing."
Thanks Rory
Tommy Fleetwood was grateful to Rory McIlroy for some tips on how to deal with the Wentworth Club rough as he stayed in contention for a first DP World Tour win on home soil. The challenge in front of him is made difficult not just by a stellar field including all 11 of his Ryder Cup team-mates but by the rough, which is notably longer and thicker than it has been in previous years. It does not seem to have bothered Fleetwood too much, with rounds of 69, 66 and 67 putting him two off the lead heading into the final round but he revealed that earlier this week at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, McIlroy gave him some tips on playing out of the long grass. "I did have a lesson off Rory on Monday out of the rough because I'm pretty used to it," he said. "I spoke to him about it and he gave me a couple of tips to try and practise this week. A couple of times today I had a chance to try it and it came off, so thanks Rory."
Fox bids to emulate Campbell as Wentworth winner
Already a three-time winner on the DP World Tour, Ryan Fox will hope to become the first Kiwi to win the BMW PGA Championship on Sunday. A six-under 66 – which included two eagles – lifted the 36-year-old into a tie for fourth place on 13 under. If he was to win his first Rolex Series title, last year’s Seve Ballesteros Award winner would emulate countryman Michael Campbell as a winner at Wentworth. Campbell won the World Match Play at the Surrey venue in 2005, months after he had won the U.S. Open, and Fox is using that as a source of inspiration. “I would obviously love to do it,” he said. “It's a who's who of European golf, plus a few others. I would like to add my name to the list of guys that have had a win around here, and the Match Play when it was the final event of the year. I know Cambo has had a win around here, and I would like to emulate him and get my name on the honour's board at Wentworth.”
Syme bids for breakthrough Tour win
Connor Syme is a man in form and is in no mood to stop. With three top tens in his last three starts on the DP World Tour, the Scot has continued that momentum over the West Course with a seven-under 65 on Moving Day catapulting the 2019 European Challenge Tour graduate into a tie for second at 14 under which means he will be in Sunday’s final group alongside Fleetwood and Åberg. With a maiden DP World Tour win in his sights, the 28-year-old is thrilled to be in contention at an event of this stature. “It would mean everything," he said. "Obviously to win on the Tour would be amazing. This tournament is steeped in history, it would be incredible. No better place to start I suppose. But there's so many great players up there, I’ll have to play an amazing round of golf tomorrow regardless, but I am excited.”
How's your luck, Rory?
There's lucky and there's lucky. Wow.
No putter required.........
........extended edition. They were going in from everywhere.
