WENTWORTH, United Kingdom: South African Dean Burmester was one of the few early starters to make an impression on the leaderboard as the final round of the European PGA Championship got underway at Wentworth on Sunday.
The 27-year-old had five birdies in his first nine holes to move to four-under par, four off the lead, and record an outward nine of 30.
Burmester recorded his first win on the European Tour in March when he won the Tshwane Open in Gauteng South Africa but he also has seven wins on the Sunshine Tour.
Scotland’s Stephen Gallagher was one shot back after six holes, which included four birdies and a bogey, and Sweden’s Alex Noren pulled back shots at the first two holes to also be three-under the card.
Two-time winner Luke Donald had finished a miserable week with a double bogey on the par-5 18th leaving him at 12-over for the tournament — his chances wrecked by a disastrous 81 on Saturday.
Other notable early finishers were European Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn who was in the clubhouse on five-over par and Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee who finished his week on 282, four-over par.
Last year’s US Masters winner Danny Willett was another to finish early — he signed for a closing 73 to leave himself on a disappointing six-over par and out of the running. The leaders were still to go out with Australia’s Andrew Dodt heading the field at eight-under par ,a shot ahead of Branden Grace of South Africa.
Dodt led courtesy of a 68 on Saturday, four-under par, whilst Grace continued to shrug off Thursday’s free drop controversy with a 70.
English veteran Lee Westwood and Italian Francesco Molinari were a further two shots back with Westwood aiming to win the title for the first time at the 24th attempt.
Also in range were Shane Lowry of Ireland, Hideto Tanihara of Japan, who had a third round 67 and Henrik Stenson, the British Open champion, who were on four-under. — AFP
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
