Canete in the Lead as Argiro and Fernandez Break Cariari Course Record

Argentina’s Ariel Canete was among the players to take advantage of the unusually benign conditions at the Cariari Country Club in Costa Rica, as he carded a third round of three under par 68 to post a seven under par 206 aggregate and move into a one stroke lead at the European Challenge Tour’s Kai Fieberg Costa Rica Open 2006. Meanwhile, Canete’s fellow countrymen – Eduardo Argiro and Sebastian Fernandez – were setting a new course record of six under par 65. 

If ever there was a day to go low at the Cariari Country Club it was on Saturday as the winds that protect the 6551 yard lay out stayed flat calm and allowed the players of the Challenge Tour and the Tour de las Americas to make stage their respective assaults on the leaderboard.

Argiro and Fernandez put on the best displays of the 65 players who made the halfway cut, and in doing so brought an end to a course record that was over 30 years old and had been set by former Masters Tournament, US Open and US PGA Championship winner Raymond Floyd of the USA. Argiro put together eight birdies and two bogeys to break the record and move into a five way tie for seventh place on three under before Fernandez produced an eagle five birdies and just a single dropped shot to move to two under for the tournament.

Canete’s single shot lead from Colombia’s Jesus Amaya and Argentina’s Fabien Gomez could have been at least double that, but the 31 year old European Tour Member missed a disappointing two foot par putt on the 18^th hole to drop his only shot of the day.

Despite that set back, Canete was pleased to have assumed the lead with one more round to play in this, the third and final joint-sanctioned event between the TLA and the Challenge Tour of the 2006 season.

“The bogey at 18th was a shame. The way I played that hole was not smart at all, and my putting was just awful,” admitted Canete. “I didn’t putt as well as I wanted. I doubted a lot and was not able to hit any good putts over the final stretch. Tomorrow I must play well all day. I guess that if I shoot three or four under, there will be a chance for me to win.”

With his third round score of four under, Amaya, a five time TLA winner, was one of the biggest movers of the day. “There was no wind at all in comparison to the last couple of days,” said the 36 year old. “It helps, but it also changes the way you have to play this course. Fortunately my ball striking was good and I was able to overcome the difficulties. I hope to be in contentions tomorrow.”

A bogey-bogey start could not stop Gomez moving up the leaderboard. He cancelled out those early dropped strokes with an eagle three at the par five 12^th and birdies at the eighth, 14^th and 16^th holes. “I was ok after those two bogeys,” said Gomez. “I knew there was a long way to go. I’m playing well and I’m very confident, especially with the putter.”

Alexander Noren of Sweden, who led the Kai Fieberg Costa Rica Open after each of the opening two rounds, is by no means out of the running for his maiden professional win despite posting a three over par 74. Noren is in a tie for fourth place alongside the Frenchman Anthony Snobeck who posted affine third round 68.