Greame McDowell’s hopes of qualifying for next week’s Open Championship at Carnoustie were dealt a hammer blow as the Portrush man carded a moving day one over par 71 to drop back to a tie for 55th at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open.
McDowell who needed a Top 10 finish in Gullane this week to claim one of the three available slots for Carnoustie got off to the worst possible start on Saturday as he carded two double bogeys in his first three holes. He was out in 39 but steadied his round with a bogey free three under back nine.
At the top, a late charge from Jens Dantorp saw the Swede leap ahead of a crowded leaderboard to take a one-shot lead into the final round.
As a thrilling day of action drew to a close at a blustery Gullane Golf Club, Dantorp was in a seven-way tie for the lead before three birdies in his final three holes took him to 13 under par and one shot clear of 2015 champion Rickie Fowler of the United States, New Zealand’s Ryan Fox, Australian Scott Hend, Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick, Marcel Siem of Germany and another Swede in Alexander Björk.
While Dantorp chases his first European Tour win, Russell Knox kept hopes of a homegrown victory alive with a round of 66 to get to 11 under par alongside English pair Aaron Rai and Tyrrell Hatton.
Another seven players, including 2008 Masters Tournament champion Trevor Immelman and fellow Major winner Justin Rose are one shot further back, while eight further players including American pair Charley Hoffman and Luke List are nine under par going into the final day on Scotland’s Golf Coast.
Round three scores
197 J Dantorp (Swe) 64 65 68,
198 S Hend (Aus) 66 69 63, M Siem (Ger) 66 67 65, M Fitzpatrick (Eng) 68 66 64, R Fowler (USA) 64 66 68, A Björk (Swe) 67 64 67, R Fox (Nzl) 67 68 63,
199 A Rai (Eng) 69 63 67, T Hatton (Eng) 65 64 70, R Knox (Sco) 66 67 66,
200 D Burmester (RSA) 68 67 65, J Rose (Eng) 67 66 67, E Pepperell (Eng) 67 63 70, B Stone (RSA) 70 64 66, J Lagergren (Swe) 67 69 64, T Pieters (Bel) 68 68 64, T Immelman (RSA) 68 64 68,
201 J Campillo (Esp) 69 65 67, G Fernandez – Castaño (Esp) 67 66 68, S Horsfield (Eng) 67 65 69, L List (USA) 63 69 69, G Green (Mas) 69 67 65, D Fichardt (RSA) 69 67 65, M Southgate (Eng) 65 70 66, S Gallacher (Sco) 70 66 65, C Hoffman (USA) 67 66 68,
202 A Pavan (Ita) 70 66 66, P Oriol (Esp) 71 65 66, J Walters (RSA) 66 69 67, S Brown (Eng) 69 64 69, I Poulter (Eng) 66 67 69, H Li (Chn) 66 65 71, K Aphibarnrat (Tha) 69 65 68,
203 S Fernandez (Esp) 64 67 72, P Reed (USA) 65 69 69, R Rock (Eng) 64 63 76, M Pavon (Fra) 67 67 69, D Willett (Eng) 66 68 69, N Colsaerts (Bel) 70 65 68, L Westwood (Eng) 64 67 72,
204 A Levy (Fra) 68 66 70, R Sterne (RSA) 65 71 68, J Morrison (Eng) 69 65 70, D Frittelli (RSA) 65 67 72, T Jaidee (Tha) 68 65 71, R Gouveia (Por) 68 68 68,
205 R Cho (Kor) 69 67 69, J Smith (Eng) 67 67 71, J Guerrier (Fra) 65 69 71, H Tanihara (Jpn) 72 61 72, C Syme (Sco) 71 62 72, C Bezuidenhout (RSA) 69 66 70, D Stewart (Sco) 70 64 71, C Smith (Aus) 68 68 69,
206 G McDowell (Nir) 69 66 71, L Gagli (Ita) 70 66 70, O Fisher (Eng) 67 69 70, C Sordet (Fra) 66 70 70, O Farr (Wal) 69 65 72, B Hebert (Fra) 69 65 72, J Choi (Kor) 68 67 71,
207 R Karlsson (Swe) 65 71 71, S Kjeldsen (Den) 66 67 74,
208 J McLeary (Sco) 68 68 72,
210 A Bland (Aus) 67 68 75,
211 T Detry (Bel) 70 66 75,
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