Feb 17, 2018: Joost Luiten, Julien Guerrier and Matthew Southgate will share a one-shot lead heading into the final round of the inaugural NBO Oman Open after a dramatic roller coaster of a day at Al Mouj Golf.
India’s S.S.P. Chawrasia shot four-over 76. Chawrasia was playing a par round with three birdies and three bogies until 14th hole. Unfortunately, two double bogeys at 15th hole and 18th hole twisted his cards to close with four-over-par score.
The Muscat layout is no stranger to drama having hosted the final event of the Challenge Tour season from 2015-2017 and it was all set for a shootout on Sunday with 13 players within five shots of the lead.
France’s Guerrier, Dutchman Luiten and England’s Southgate led the way at 12 under, with another Englishman in Chris Wood a shot off the lead and Spaniard Adrian Otaegui at ten under.
It was a strong leaderboard for France with Alexander Levy then at nine under, a shot clear of countryman Matthieu Pavon and England’s Andrew Johnston.
There was a five-way tie for the lead at one point on the back nine and with perfect conditions expected once again in the sultanate for the final day, it was all to play for.
Guerrier and Southgate have never before led a European Tour event after 54 holes and will both be going after maiden titles while Luiten has claimed four of his five wins after leading on Saturday night.
The 32 year old was a picture of consistency in 2017 as he missed just four cuts but he had only two top tens and is searching for a first win since his home victory at the 2016 KLM Open.
He hit a sensational tee-shot to tap-in range on the fifth and added another birdie on the sixth before holing a smart right-to-lefter on the ninth to turn in 33.
A two-putt birdie on the par five 12th put him into the log-jam at the top and he made further birdies on the 13th and 16th, sandwiched by a bogey on the 15th, before an excellent approach to the last saw him join Guerrier in the clubhouse after a 66.
Guerrier came through the Challenge Tour in 2009, the Qualifying School in 2011 and the Challenge Tour again last season as he claimed two wins.
All that Challenge Tour experience means he has played four events at Al Mouj Golf, finishing in a tie for third at the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final in 2016, and he used all his knowledge on Saturday in a 66.
He birdied the first and third, bogeyed the fourth, birdied the fifth and seventh and then dropped another shot on the ninth to turn in 34. A monster putt on the 12th brought an eagle and a share of the lead and a 15-footer on the 14th and stunning approach to the last kept him in that share.
Southgate turned in level par 36 but that did not tell the whole story of a remarkable front nine.
A birdie-birdie-birdie start quickly handed him a three-shot lead but he came up short of the fourth and took three putts from a long way out on the sixth to give two shots back.
He hit two provisionals on the seventh and while he found his original ball on both occasions, he was playing out of horrible rough for his second and fourth shots and surrendered a double-bogey before a glorious approach to the ninth got him back on an even keel.
The 29 year old hit a stunning tee-shot on the 11th to get back into a share of the lead, took advantage of the par five next and hit a smart approach into the last to sign for a 69.
Wood enjoyed a stellar 2016 as he won the BMW PGA Championship and made the Ryder Cup Team but had just three top tens in 2017 and missed his first three cuts this season.
He was leading the way as he stood on the 17th tee after six birdies and a single dropped shot but a bogey-bogey finish dropped him down to second after a 69.
Otaegui had made the early charge and he was bogey-free in a 66, while Levy had a sinlge blemish on his card as he signed for a 67.
Overnight leader Pavon struggled to a 75 while Johnston carded a 69 to sit a shot ahead of Spaniard Jorge Campillo, Scot Stephen Gallacher, American Han Seung-su, England’s Robert Rock and Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti.
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