Broadhurst targets third Portuguese title

Portuguese Open: Former Ryder Cup player Paul Broadhurst moved into position today for a tilt at a third Portuguese Open title…

Portuguese Open:Former Ryder Cup player Paul Broadhurst moved into position today for a tilt at a third Portuguese Open title in five years.

Back on the Oitavos Dunes course which witnessed one of the European Tour’s most dramatic finishes in 2005 the 42-year-old played the last 13 holes of his third round in a superb six-under par.

Signing for a 67, he goes into the final day seven-under and one ahead of fellow Englishman David Lynn, Wales’ Jamie Donaldson and Dutchman Maarten Lafeber, who just missed out on a Tour record for nine holes when he charged home in 28.

Michael Hoey got over a 76 in his second round to post a two-under par 69 that leaves him in a share for 20th position on two under. Paul McGinley could only manage a one-over 72 in his third round and lies on three over for the tournament.

Four years ago Broadhurst looked set to miss out on victory, but first Paul Lawrie triple bogeyed the 17th and then Barry Lane, suddenly finding himself in front, ran up a horror quintuple bogey nine on the last.

Asked if he fancied a repeat of that climax he said: “No — absolutely not. I double-bogeyed the 18th myself on Thursday. It’s a tough finishing hole and if I’ve got a four-shot lead there tomorrow I’ll be chucking a five-iron down there. It’s not over til it’s over here. We saw that in 2005.”

Broadhurst then made a successful defence of the trophy at Penina, but has not won anywhere since.

Lafeber had five successive birdies before chipping in from 20 yards for an eagle on the long 16th, then left himself a 25-foot chance on the last to match the record 27 for nine holes.

Five players have done that and one of them, Robert Lee, has managed it twice, but the 34-year-old left his effort short.

He was happy enough, however, with a seven-under par 64 — also one outside the course record — after starting the day down in 43rd place.

“I played great yesterday, but had 35 putts and didn’t get anything out of the round,” he said. “I thought if I could get to two or three under I might have a little chance tomorrow. Then came that fantastic back nine.”

Halfway leader Ross McGowan was sharing top spot with three to play, but after missing great birdie chances on the 16th and 17th bogeyed the last.

3RD RD SCOREBOARD
(Par 71, Ireland and Britain unless stated)

206P Broadhurst 71 68 67
207J Donaldson 71 69 67, M Lafeber (Ned) 72 71 64, D Lynn 69 73 65
208Paul Lawrie 71 69 68, R McGowan 64 73 71
209C Del Moral (Spa) 67 71 71, M Lundberg (Swe) 70 72 67, A Forsyth 67 73 69, M Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 70 74 65
210F Molinari (Ita) 71 71 68, P Sjoland (Swe) 70 73 67, F Delamontagne (Fra) 71 73 66, S Dyson 67 72 71, M Brown (USA) 73 68 69, D Dixon 69 73 68, P Archer 72 69 69, G Fdez-Castano (Spa) 70 72 68, R Cabrera Bello (Spa) 72 69 69
211S Webster 68 72 71, G Bourdy (Fra) 69 73 69, P Martin (Spa)
72 69 70, C Doak 68 70 73, M Hoey 66 76 69, JM Lara (Spa) 69 75 67
212C Macaulay 70 70 72, R Rock 69 72 71
213J-B Gonnet (Fra) 72 72 69, S Davis 70 69 74, G Houston 69 73 71, C Wood 74 70 69, D Horsey 68 74 71, D Frost (Rsa) 71 71 71, D Vancsik (Arg) 68 71 74, N Fasth (Swe) 71 71 71, T Bjorn (Den) 69 73 71, M Jonzon (Swe) 72 71 70, M Tunnicliff 69 70 74
214R Bland 70 70 74, A Coltart 71 72 71, I Van Weerelt (Ned) 72
72 70, J-F Remesy (Fra) 74 70 70, S Manley 75 66 73, S Wakefield 70 73 71
215JE Morgan 70 72 73, A Tadini (Ita) 70 72 73, J Sandelin (Swe) 73 70 72, J-F Lucquin (Fra) 74 68 73, W Ormsby (Aus) 69 74 72, R Echenique (Arg) 74 70 71, M Curtain (Aus) 70 74 71, A McLardy (Rsa) 69 73 73
216J Haeggman (Swe) 73 70 73, W Besseling (Ned) 71 73 72, L Slattery 72 72 72, M Higley 70 73 73, P Edberg (Swe) 70 73 73, P McGinley70 74 72
217C Cevaer (Fra) 70 72 75, H Otto (Rsa) 69 73 75, S Gallacher 70 73 74, P Price 72 70 75, R Davies 71 73 73, M Foster 68 74 75, E Canonica (Ita) 72 72 73
218D Drysdale 71 71 76, R Santos (Por) 68 74 76
219E Goya (Arg) 75 69 75, F Colombo (Ita) 70 74 75
220R Gonzalez (Arg) 69 75 76, B Hafthorsson (Ice) 69 75 76, A Sobrinho (Por) 69 75 76, G Havret (Fra) 69 75 76
221T Cruz (Por) 71 72 78
222M Cayeux (Zim) 72 72 78
223N Campino (Por) 70 74 79

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