Challenge Tour Number One Brooks Koepka continued to stamp his dominance on the Fred Olsen Challenge de España after a brilliant third round of seven under par 64 saw him race clear of Frenchman Edouard Dubois with 18 holes to play at Tecina Golf in the Canary Islands.
Koepka began the day alongside Dubois on the leaderboard but quickly established himself as the man to catch with birdies at his opening two holes. Both players bogeyed the fifth before Koepka hit back instantly with a birdie on the sixth.
Realising he was about to be left behind, Dubois matched Koepka’s next birdies on the seventh and ninth, and from there managed to hold onto the American’s coat tails and finish the day on 15 under par, four behind playing partner.
The 23 year old from West Palm Beach is generally pleased with his outstanding level of performance, but is fully aware that even a four shot lead of 19 under par cannot be taken for granted.
“Overall I am playing well and shootoing another low score out there today really helps to build confidence and keep the momentum going in the right way,” said Koepka who leads the Challenge Tour Rankings thanks, in the main, to his victory in the Montecchia Golf Open presented by POLAROID three weeks ago.
“I still feel like I could be holing more putts, though. I have had three three-putts this week and if I can eliminate that then I have a chance to win because I am playing really well.
“I have to go out there and play my best because someone can shot a 59 on this golf course if they really get it going out there.”
While Koepka is understandably cautious and guarded when discussing the prospect of a second Challenge Tour victory in the space of four weeks, it looks like Dubois will be his only real challenger.
Germany’s Bernd Ritthammer is Koepka’s next closest challenger a full eight strokes back on 11 under with another German, Nicholas Meitinger, joining Spain’s Alfredo Garcia-Heredia and Belgium’s Pierre Relecom in a tie for fourth place on ten under.
Dubois was just pleased that third round was no the last one at La Gomera.
“If today had been the final round then I wouldn’t have feel I had lost the tournament because Brooks was just playing some amazing golf out there today. He has been playing great this week and is leading the Rankings, but if I can get my putting back to the way it was in the first two rounds then I will try my best to catch him tomorrow.”
Koepka began the day alongside Dubois on the leaderboard but quickly established himself as the man to catch with birdies at his opening two holes. Both players bogeyed the fifth before Koepka hit back instantly with a birdie on the sixth.
Realising he was about to be left behind, Dubois matched Koepka’s next birdies on the seventh and ninth, and from there managed to hold onto the American’s coat tails and finish the day on 15 under par, four behind playing partner.
The 23 year old from West Palm Beach is generally pleased with his outstanding level of performance, but is fully aware that even a four shot lead of 19 under par cannot be taken for granted.
“Overall I am playing well and shootoing another low score out there today really helps to build confidence and keep the momentum going in the right way,” said Koepka who leads the Challenge Tour Rankings thanks, in the main, to his victory in the Montecchia Golf Open presented by POLAROID three weeks ago.
“I still feel like I could be holing more putts, though. I have had three three-putts this week and if I can eliminate that then I have a chance to win because I am playing really well.
“I have to go out there and play my best because someone can shot a 59 on this golf course if they really get it going out there.”
While Koepka is understandably cautious and guarded when discussing the prospect of a second Challenge Tour victory in the space of four weeks, it looks like Dubois will be his only real challenger.
Germany’s Bernd Ritthammer is Koepka’s next closest challenger a full eight strokes back on 11 under with another German, Nicholas Meitinger, joining Spain’s Alfredo Garcia-Heredia and Belgium’s Pierre Relecom in a tie for fourth place on ten under.
Dubois was just pleased that third round was no the last one at La Gomera.
“If today had been the final round then I wouldn’t have feel I had lost the tournament because Brooks was just playing some amazing golf out there today. He has been playing great this week and is leading the Rankings, but if I can get my putting back to the way it was in the first two rounds then I will try my best to catch him tomorrow.”
