Real Club Valderrama has gotten the better of Northern Irish duo Tom Mckibbin and Graeme McDowell this weekend as the pair are yet to post an under-par round.
The windy conditions eased for Saturday’s round three, and that shown on many scorecards – including McKibbin’s as he posted a 71, his best round of the week so far.
The 23-year-old began with a bogey at the par-4 first, before getting back to even-par with a birdie at the par-5 fourth. McKibbin was under-par for the first time with a birdie at the par-3 sixth as he he took the turn at one-under.
McKibbin played steady golf back to the clubhouse bar one mistake which cost him a red figure round. The Belfast man made a six at the par-5 17th to take him back to even-par. McKibbin sits T29 at three-over-par heading into Sunday’s final round.
After starting relatively well in Thursday’s opening round, Graeme McDowell seems to have lost his touch as he posted a five-over-par third round to take him to eight-over.
A good round seemed promising with a birdie at the first for G-Mac but that was quickly cancelled out with a double-bogey at the par-5 fourth. McDowell steadied the ship for a bit as he managed to get back to even-par before taking on the back-nine.
It all unravelled for the 46-year-old on the back-nine, as he made four bogeys in a row between the 12th and 15th holes, before adding another bogey at the par-4 18th to sit T48 heading into the final round.
Tyrell Hatton continues to hold his two stroke lead at the top of the leaderboard. The 34-year-old posted a four-under-par round to take him to 10-under after 54 holes.
Hatton made three birdies on the front nine, followed by two more and a bogey on the back as he looks to win his first event as a new father.
Hatton is closely followed by Belgium’s Thomas Detry who sits second on eight-under after a four-under-par round three, but both players know, however, that it’s the third member of Sunday’s final group who will receive the strongest support from the Spanish fans.
Sergio Garcia is Valderrama’s favorite son, and the Fireballs GC captain hopes to add to his already legendary ledger on his favorite course as he sits third at six-under.
“Pretty obvious who they’d want to win tomorrow – and it won’t be either of us two,” Hatton said while sitting alongside Detry during their post-round interview.
“Tyrrell is playing great, and Thomas Detry has been very solid all year,” Garcia said. “So, it’s not going to be easy at all, but we’ll see. Valderrama always has a surprise or two up its sleeve.”
Spain’s Jon Rahm sits just behind Garcia on five-under-par after a three-under-par round. Dustin Johnson posted the lowest round of the day with a seven-under-par 64 to see him climb to T4 alongside Rahm. Johnson made seven-birdies and a hole-in-one which came at the par-3 third.
In the teamed leaderboard, 4Aces GC led by Johnson lead which a score of 12-under, followed by Legion XIII at four-under.
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