Niklas Norgaard produced a stunning back-nine birdie run to take a four-shot lead into the final round of the Betfred British Masters, as Tyrrell Hatton slipped out of contention.
Norgaard charged through the field with a brilliant eight-under 64 at the Belfry, mixing nine birdies with a lone bogey to move to 16 under and in pole position to claim a maiden DP World Tour title.
The world No 205 – who held a share of the 54-hole lead in last year’s contest before finishing seventh – holds a commanding advantage over Thriston Lawrence, who jumped into solo second after finishing his third-round 67 with four consecutive birdies.
Jeong weon Ko holds third spot on 10 under and England’s Andrew Wilson is eight strokes back in fourth ahead of Brandon Stone and Jesper Svensson, with halfway leader Hatton heading into the final day 10 shots adrift after a four-over 76.
Hatton’s hopes fade on home soil
Norgaard started the weekend two strokes back but made an early move by following a 15-foot birdie at the first by taking advantage of the par-five third, then added another from eight feet at the seventh to reach the turn in 33.
The Dane was one ahead of France’s Jeong weon Ko and two clear of Brandon Stone and Jorge Campillo at that stage, with pre-tournament favourite Hatton three behind after mixing a lone birdie with three bogeys in an erratic front nine.
Norgaard drove the green on the famous par-four 10th to card the first of back-to-back birdies, extending his lead to three shots, before holing from 15 feet to save par at the 13th and starting another incredible birdie burst at the par-three next.
A birdie from off the green was followed by a two-putt gain at the par-five 15th, with Norgaard holing from 40 feet across the green at the par-four 16th to temporarily extend his lead to six shots.
Norgaard fired a wayward tee shot into the trees at the par-five 17th and missed from eight feet to save par, dropping him back to 15 under, only to respond brilliantly to make a 15-foot birdie at the last and extend his advantage.
“It [winning] would mean so much,” Norgaard said. “The thing I have to do is try and go and do the same as today, not trying to hold onto anything or be protective.”
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Lawrence was level par for the day after a three-putt bogey at the par-four 11th but started his fightback by birdieing the par-four next, with the South African then taking advantage of the par-five 15th for the first of a four-birdie finish.
He holed from 15 feet at the next and tapped in after missing his eagle try at the par-five 17th, with a sensational approach into the par-four last setting up a close-range birdie to jump to 12 under and solo second.
Hatton bogeyed the par-three 12th after finding water off the tee and then pulled his drive out of bounds at the next, resulting in a triple-bogey seven, with birdies over his next two holes and a three-par finish leaving him tied-seventh and on six under.
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Source : Sky Sports
