| Eddie Pepperell will bid to win the Betfred British Masters hosted by Danny Willett for a second time as he takes a one stroke lead into the final round at The Belfry.
The Englishman, who won this title in 2018 at Walton Heath, carded a four under par round of 68 on the Brabazon Course to sign for a ten under par total, one stroke ahead of a packed leaderboard which includes six players in a share of second place.
Of those contending, Italy’s Edoardo Molinari carded the lowest round of the tournament thus far, an eight under par 64, to move to nine under. He was joined on that number by compatriot Guido Migliozzi as the pair look to keep the title in Italian hands after Renato Paratore’s victory at Close House last year.
Also on nine under are the Scottish duo of Calum Hill and Robert MacIntyre, and South Africa’s Dean Burmester and Adrian Meronk of Poland, who both carded seven under par rounds of 65.
Tournament host Danny Willett is just three strokes behind Pepperell after a third round of 68 which included seven birdies, recording five on his first six holes. For each birdie Willett makes this week, tournament title sponsor Betfred will donate £1,000 directly to Prostate Cancer UK, the 2016 Masters Champion’s choice of official charity, also pledging to donate £2,000 for every eagle Willett makes.
So far, the 33-year-old has raised £16,000 after 16 birdies across his first three rounds.
Player Quotes
Eddie Pepperell: “It was pretty quick, downhill, left to right (the birdie putt on the last). I had a great feel from long range today and I trusted that. It was one of those putts. I holed a great one on 14. I’ve been using a device for my putting called a Capto, which has been really about acceleration in the stroke. I use it a lot from 40 ft, so what I’ve did well today, and indeed this week, has been about trusting the feel I get from it. I’m hoping to see it carry over a bit to mid-range, but long putts have been fantastic.”
Robert MacIntyre: “That’s the worst it could have been, really. I didn’t drive it my best but kept it in play for the most part of the day. I felt I struck my irons beautifully. Gave myself so many chances, tough back pins, I have new irons in the bag and I was trusting them completely. Me and Mike have done the numbers every day, every morning, and they were all over the pin. Perfect numbers. The putter was cold today, but you get days like that. Yesterday it was on fire. Hopefully tomorrow it turns up.”
Edoardo Molinari: “I think I finally made some putts today. I have been hitting the ball like this for a few weeks, even a few months to be honest, but I couldn’t make a putt. But today, on the front nine I putted really well and on the back nine the putter went cold again, but to go a few under on the back nine is obviously a good score.”
Dean Burmester: “It’s early doors and really calm and benign out there. Today was the day to put yourself on a low number – a good moving day, so I’m chuffed. I’m excited.
“I put a lot of mental work in with my putting coach, trying to figure out a formula that works and came up with a grip that works and feels comfortable every time I put the putter down, and just a routine that helps me focus on what I’m trying to do and in turn I’m holing the putts.”
Danny Willett: “It was very up and down. We really had it going on the first seven holes, then I had my little hour again, like I have done every day this week, to drop a couple of silly ones. Nice to finish with a couple of nice ones on the last four. Very colourful – making some birdies so Betfred can give some nice donations to Prostate Cancer UK – all is well.”
Scores after Round Three:
206 E PEPPERELL (ENG) 70 68 68,
207 E MOLINARI (ITA) 71 72 64, A MERONK (POL) 70 72 65, D BURMESTER (RSA) 69 73 65, G MIGLIOZZI (ITA) 68 72 67, C HILL (SCO) 67 70 70, R MACINTYRE (SCO) 71 66 70,
208 M SCHWAB (AUT) 66 75 67, D COUPLAND (ENG) 71 69 68, A SULLIVAN (ENG) 69 71 68, J HARDING (RSA) 69 69 70,
209 C WOOD (ENG) 69 72 68, D WILLETT (ENG) 69 72 68, M KORHONEN (FIN) 70 71 68, J SMITH (ENG) 71 69 69, R BLAND (ENG) 68 69 72,
210 A WU (CHN) 73 71 66, A JOHNSTON (ENG) 71 71 68, C SORDET (FRA) 68 74 68, L DE JAGER (RSA) 68 72 70, J GUERRIER (FRA) 72 66 72,
211 A COCKERILL (CAN) 70 73 68, T PULKKANEN (FIN) 72 70 69, M LEE (AUS) 75 67 69, S HORSFIELD (ENG) 72 70 69, R JACQUELIN (FRA) 75 67 69,
212 M SOUTHGATE (ENG) 72 73 67, A BJ?RK (SWE) 73 72 67, D WHITNELL (ENG) 70 74 68, S KJELDSEN (DEN) 71 72 69, J GEARY (NZL) 70 72 70, L CANTER (ENG) 70 71 71, A ARNAUS (ESP) 69 72 71, B WIESBERGER (AUT) 68 72 72, M PAVON (FRA) 68 71 73,
213 S GARCIA RODRIGUEZ (ESP) 71 73 69, R PARATORE (ITA) 73 70 70, R SANTOS (POR) 73 70 70, J JANEWATTANANOND (THA) 73 69 71, J MORRISON (ENG) 68 73 72, R RAMSAY (SCO) 70 71 72, R MANSELL (ENG) 69 71 73,
214 S SODERBERG (SWE) 73 72 69, A CA?IZARES (ESP) 71 74 69, S V?LIM?KI (FIN) 71 73 70, A OTAEGUI (ESP) 73 71 70, D VAN DRIEL (NED) 74 70 70, R FISHER (ENG) 69 74 71, J SURI (USA) 68 74 72, A LEVY (FRA) 71 71 72, P DUNNE (IRL) 72 69 73,
215 S SHARMA (IND) 73 71 71,
216 R SCIOT-SIEGRIST (FRA) 72 73 71, T DETRY (BEL) 73 72 71, G PORTEOUS (ENG) 70 74 72, T OLESEN (DEN) 71 73 72, A CHESTERS (ENG) 73 69 74, L SLATTERY (ENG) 72 68 76,
217 J VEERMAN (USA) 71 74 72, O WILSON (ENG) 73 72 72, G GREEN (MAS) 75 70 72, C SHARVIN (NIR) 73 71 73, C PAISLEY (ENG) 70 74 73,
218 T BJ?RN (DEN) 72 71 75,
219 S TILEY (ENG) 74 71 74, J DONALDSON (WAL) 74 71 74, J GONNET (FRA) 71 73 75, J HANSEN (DEN) 71 71 77, J STALTER (FRA) 69 72 78,
220 J SENIOR (ENG) 72 73 75, M LORENZO-VERA (FRA) 71 74 75, J WINTHER (DEN) 72 70 78,
222 N ELVIRA (ESP) 73 72 77,
225 J CALDWELL (NIR) 76 69 80,
**
146 G FDEZ-CASTA?O (ESP) 76 70, L BJERREGAARD (DEN) 74 72, B RITTHAMMER (GER) 73 73, M KIEFFER (GER) 74 72, J CAMPILLO (ESP) 76 70, A SANDHU (IND) 74 72, S HEISELE (GER) 72 74, G HAVRET (FRA) 77 69, P LARRAZ?BAL (ESP) 71 75, J WALTERS (RSA) 74 72, M ANTCLIFF (AUS) 73 73, A QUIROS (ESP) 74 72, M SCHMITT (GER) 68 78, N VON DELLINGSHAUSEN (GER) 73 73, P FIGUEIREDO (POR) 74 72,
147 D LAW (SCO) 72 75, O FARR (WAL) 74 73, R ROCK (ENG) 73 74, J MCLEOD (AUS) 73 74, C SYME (SCO) 75 72, W ORMSBY (AUS) 74 73, T GANDY (IMN) 73 74,
148 C PIGEM (ESP) 71 77, A PAVAN (ITA) 69 79, S GALLACHER (SCO) 76 72, D DIXON (ENG) 72 76, L VAN MEIJEL (NED) 77 71, S KIM (USA) 72 76, H LI (CHN) 76 72, R LANGASQUE (FRA) 75 73, F ZANOTTI (PAR) 78 70, R H?JGAARD (DEN) 74 74, C SHINKWIN (ENG) 74 74, T TREE (ENG) 71 77,
149 D HOWELL (ENG) 74 75, M JORDAN (ENG) 74 75, M KAWAMURA (JPN) 72 77, B HEBERT (FRA) 76 73, S CROCKER (USA) 72 77, M ARMITAGE (ENG) 76 73, P ORIOL (ESP) 71 78, L GAGLI (ITA) 75 74, J LEVERMORE (ENG) 74 75,
150 J KASKE (FIN) 73 77, J SCRIVENER (AUS) 79 71, B DREDGE (WAL) 75 75, D HORSEY (ENG) 77 73, J LAGERGREN (SWE) 77 73, Z LOMBARD (RSA) 76 74, M KAYMER (GER) 74 76, N KEARNEY (IRL) 73 77, S BROWN (ENG) 71 79, R MCEVOY (ENG) 75 75,
151 Y CHANG (KOR) 72 79, R KARLBERG (SWE) 72 79, F LAPORTA (ITA) 76 75, M BULLEN (ENG) 74 77, S CHAWRASIA (IND) 75 76, M WARREN (SCO) 74 77, S HEND (AUS) 78 73, B EVANS (ENG) 77 74,
152 B POKE (DEN) 74 78, M FORD (ENG) 76 76, R MCGOWAN (ENG) 75 77, S YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA) 76 76, K BROBERG (SWE) 76 76, A DEL REY (ESP) 76 76,
153 G BHULLAR (IND) 77 76, R ROUSSEL (FRA) 73 80, C MORIARTY (IRL) 78 75,
154 W BESSELING (NED) 77 77, M SCHNEIDER (GER) 79 75, P ANGLES (ESP) 76 78,
155 G FORREST (SCO) 78 77, A SADDIER (FRA) 77 78,
157 R ENOCH (WAL) 74 83,
158 D DRYSDALE (SCO) 76 82, S JAMIESON (SCO) 80 78,
162 G STORM (ENG) 82 80,
**
OUT P WARING (ENG) 73 WD, H PORTEOUS (RSA) 73 RT, O FISHER (ENG) RT , |
