Columbia’s Eduardo Herrera holds a one shot lead over Argentine Rafael Gomez going into the final round of the 47th Abierto Mexicano de Golf, with the European trio of James Heath, David Higgins and Van Phillips in pursuit of the South American leaders at the Cub de Golf de Hacienda.
Herrera, the defending Abierto Mexicano de Golf Champion having won the title at Cancun’s Moon Palace Resort last year, carded a third round of two under par 69 at the opening event of the 2005 European Challenge Tour season to post a nine under total of 204, with Gomez recording a 68 to lie one behind the outright leader.
Irishman Higgins fired a second consecutive 67 to join England’s Heath on seven under – with Phillips a further shot back after his own third round score of 69.
Herrera’s lead could have been more had it not been for the bitter ending that marred his third round, racking up a double bogey seven after finding the water at the Club de Golf de Hacienda’s 603 yard, par five 18th.
The Columbian had put together six birdies and two bogeys before his uninspiring finish, but it was his form over the first 17 holes that left Herrera optimistic about his chances of defending his title.
He said: “It was disappointing to let the chance of a three stroke lead get away, but I played a bad shot at the 18th, which is a very dangerous hole, and paid a high price. But overall it was a good day, perhaps not playing as well as I did the first two days but after I bogeyed the 9th and 10th I got back into position with three birdies.
“A three-shot advantage would have been useful but not in any way secure. Winning will depend on hitting a lot of quality shots and getting into a positive frame of mind. To repeat this title would be a wonderful end to what for me has been a mediocre year but Rafael will be a stern rival and I know I’ll have to play my best to do so.”
Gomez had a similarly poor finish to that of Herrera, playing his last four holes in bogey-birdie-bogey-bogey and undoing some of the outstanding work he had done earlier in his round.
Five under after his opening 12 holes, Gomez would also have posted a lower third round score had he not stumbled on his way home.
“I made only two errors all day. It was a pity they came at the last two holes,” Gomez commented. “But golf can be like that. I was between a hard eight iron and cutting a seven at the 17th. Trying to get a bit extra on the eight, I pulled the shot left and under the trees. I did well to get the chip onto the green. Perhaps that affected the way I played the 18th. In any case, one stroke is not a factor. It now depends on who plays the best golf on Sunday.”
Higgins’s 67 was all the more remarkable considering he had to request a medical break due to severe dehydration. “I’m fine now,” he said, “just got dizzy and faint. From here on I’ll be drinking a lot more water on the course.”
Heath’s spirited 68, added to a pair of opening 69s, suggests his professional debut has not added pressure to his week. The 2004 English Amateur Champion has seemingly mastered the art of just playing the game – no matter what the surroundings or circumstances.
“Frankly it’s just the same,” he said. “I’m playing golf, trying just the same as I was trying last week, or last year. I’m not thinking about it, just working hard on each shot, each day. Today I played a lot better than on the first two days but probably didn’t hole as many putts.”
