July 6,2014: On a warm day in Paris, the course at Le Golf National took its dues from the players. Shiv Kapur paid his dues, with a string of bogeys to slip back to five over and T48 after a difficult third round at the Alstom Open de France. Overnight leader Kevin Stadlerwas also threatened by the treacherous pins, but the entire company was tumbling on the greens. In the end 72 was enough to give the American a four stroke cushion going into the final round. Victor Riu threatened to take advantage early on, but slipped on the back nine to fall into a two way tie for second with Thongchai Jaidee.
Kapur suffered three bogeys on the front nine, including two successive ones at 8 & 9. The ninth hole is a par-5 that measures nearly 600 yards and Kapur made it in six as he slipped to 2 over for the day. At the par-5 14th Kapur stumbled again, giving up another shot as he slipped to 3 over.
The Indian had to account for two more bogeys – 16th and 18th, just as he had in the second round –to end round three on a humbling note. Kapur’s 76 slipped him 24 places to T50 at five over 218. Only ten golfers managed to break par on a day where it was intriguingly painful to attack the pins.
Frenchman Julien Quesne took advantage of his familiarity with the course to make 68, the best result of the third round. Thongchai was equally good – scoring a second straight 69 to jump into second alongside Riu.
Martin Kaymer moved to three under with a 70 in the third round. The German is in fourth ahead of Englishman Mathew Baldwin and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger who are a further shot behind Kaymer. The back nine seemed a cursed path for Riu, who was just a shot behind Stadler at one point.
The Frenchman made an incredible six bogeys, including three straight from the 15th hole to eventually settle for a 73 after making a promising start earlier in the day.
Reporting by Anand Datla
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- Pros
- alstom open
- india golf
- shiv kapur
