Guillaume Cambis soared into the lead at the Turkish Airlines Challenge just days after he gathered extensive knowledge on the course at National Golf Club while caddying for his friend at a Ladies European Tour event held at the same venue last week.
The Frenchman decided to travel to Turkey earlier than usual before his friend Jade Schaeffer, girlfriend of European Tour player François Calmels, requested his assistance in carrying the bag in the final day of the Turkish Airlines Ladies Open.
Cambis made full use of that little piece of investigative work as he negotiated his way around the challenging lay-out in four under par, carding a 68 to move one shot clear of Englishmen Matt Ford and Chris Paisley and Sweden’s Michael Jonzon.
Having begun his round at the tenth hole, the 25 year old carded four birdies and a bogey to reach the turn in three under, before picking up three more shots with birdies at the third, fifth and sixth holes.
It looked like he might carry a three shot lead into the final day but back to back bogeys on the final two holes meant he had to be content with a one shot lead as he chases a maiden Challenge Tour title.
“I tried to play smart,” said the Parisian. “You need to be smart out on that course. I arrived last Saturday and caddied for Jade so I know the course very well.
“I know every hole of the course, where I need to go and where I shouldn’t go. I was smart and holed some putts too.
“I was six under after 16 holes and I was very happy but I made two mistakes on the last two tee shots, hooked them both. I actually saved two bogeys which was good. The pin positions there were tough.
“I've been working hard since the beginning of the year and I'm really happy with my score, especially happy to be leading. When you work hard it’s nice to be repaid for that and that’s the first good round of the year so I'm delighted with it.”
On a day when bogey-free rounds were at a premium, two-time European Tour winner Jonzon was one of the three players breathing down Cambis’s neck.
The 42 year old carded six birdies and three bogeys on the way to a three under par 69 and, like Cambis, he had also climbed to six under at one point in the day before dropping three shots in his final five holes.
“Overall it was a really solid round,” said Jonzon, who has also won twice on the Challenge Tour. “I kept myself on the fairway most of the time which is obviously the key around here.
“In the end I'm a little disappointment with the result because I had got to six under, but overall I'm really happy with the way I'm playing and how I'm putting.
“It’s difficult out there because there is no margin for error whatsoever. As soon as you hit one slightly bad shot it can cost you several shots. You have to be on top of your game, focussed and tactically sound.”
Ford and Paisley also signed for rounds of 69, while former US Amateur Champion Byeong-hun An of Korea was one of the five players a shot further back in tied fifth after carding a two under 70.
