October 18, 2015: Jeev Milkha Singh dropped twelve places on the leaderboard with a disappointing 73 in the third round of the Portugal Masters in Vilamoura. The Indian carded three bogeys to end the truncated third day at tied 24th on charts. Andy Sullivan will take a five shot lead into the final round of the Portugal Masters as he seeks a third European Tour title of the season.
A shotgun start was used for round three due to a threat of bad weather later in the day and, while the rain and storms stayed away in the morning, the wind was playing havoc with scoring far more difficult than the first two days. (Latest Golf News)
That did not adversely affect Sullivan, however, and the Englishman went round in 67 to open up a five shot gap to Eduardo de la Riva.
And with more bad weather expected on Sunday, there will be another 0800 shotgun start as Sullivan attempts to add to The South African Open Championship Hosted by the City of Ekurhuleni and the Joburg Open titles he won earlier in the year.
“I’m just playing really good golf at the moment and just hung in there early doors and managed to knock a few good putts in early,” he said. “And I just kept that going throughout the round and ended up finishing four under for the day, which is awesome in that horrible weather out there.
I thought I handled myself well. I didn’t really feel like I’d done much wrong out there today. I think every part of my game is in good touch, and I didn’t really ever leave myself too much to do – Andy Sullivan
Should Sullivan win on Sunday, it will be the second consecutive wire-to-wire victory on The European Tour following Matthew Fitzpatrick’s triumph at the British Masters supported by Sky Sports, but the 28 year old is not feeling any extra pressure having such a large lead.
“More of the same (tomorrow),” he said. “More of the same hopefully. Just go out there and do my thing, and hopefully come in and sign for a good score again.
“Just go out there and do my thing like I have been, and take it shot by shot and see what happens.”
The wind was clearly having an impact with lots of early bogeys and Tommy Fleetwood and Anthony Wall both recorded doubles on the first.
But Sullivan had no such trouble as he rolled in from 12 feet for an opening birdie and when Thomas Pieters dropped a shot at the second, the lead was up to five.
While most were having a torrid time with the conditions, Sullivan’s progress was bordering on serene as he birdied the fourth and, despite a slightly wide tee shot, chipped to within six feet and picked up another shot on the fifth.
Pieters also made a gain on the fifth to get the lead back to six while Bernd Wiesberger remained at ten under after his first seven holes courtesy of a birdie and a bogey.
The 510 yard par four seventh had been the hardest hole on the course over the first two days and, after claiming two of the 19 birdies made there in his first two rounds, Sullivan eventually fell victim to it.
His second shot found the sand and when he flew his bunker shot over the flag, he needed two putts to get down and the lead was down to five as Pieters made a par.
The lead was still five at the turn but became seven at the tenth as Pieters made a double-bogey before De la Riva briefly reduced it again with birdies at the 11th and 12th.
Playing partner Sullivan followed him in for a birdie of his own, though, and the lead was six as the threat of a disruption appeared to lighten with some sun breaking through the clouds.
The leader was in irresistible form and when he put an approach on the 14th to within eight feet, it was birdie number five of the day and he was 18 under.
Pieters dropped a shot as he found the water after trying to drive the same hole and he slipped ten shots behind Sullivan whose nearest challenger was still De la Riva at 11 under.
The lead was then extended to eight shots as the Spaniard dropped a shot on the 15th but he came roaring back with a birdie-birdie-birdie finish to get to 13 under.
Sullivan dropped a shot on the 16th as the gap was reduced briefly to four shots but a birdie on the 17th reopened a comfortable cushion.
Chris Wood recorded the round of the day as a blemish-free 65 catapulted him up to 11 under alongside Jorge Campillo.
The Englishman started on the 13th and birdied the 17th, second, fifth and seventh before an eagle on his final hole completed a brilliant effort.
Campillo started with two bogeys from the 15th but got the shots straight back before further birdies followed on the third, fifth, ninth and 13th.
Nicolas Colsaerts was then a further shot back after a 68 that included five birdies and two bogeys while countryman Pieters was also ten under after a disappointing 72.
Wiesberger also went round in one over par to sit at nine under alongside Thomas Bjørn, Trevor Fisher Jnr and Hennie Otto.
Fleetwood followed his double on the first with 16 straight pars before birdieing the last and he held a share of 11th at eight under with Wall and David Drysdale.
