/> Antonio Murdaca in black with Alex Hendrick (white) and Jack Williams (red) after hitting their 14th tee shot at Royal Adelaide
After 54 holes, Antonio Murdaca has stormed to the top of the leaderboard of the Golf SA Amateur Classic (partnered by the W Group) after firing a 5-under round of 67. Murdaca opened with three consecutive birdies to move quickly to 7-under and join overnight leader Alex Hendrick who made par on the opening seven holes.
“The putter was working the first three holes”. Murdaca said.
Murdaca’s good early work nearly came unstuck on the 352 metre, par 4, 8th hole, when he only found the green with his fourth, after deciding to putt using a rescue from just off the green. He made bogey but with Hendrick making double, Murdaca moved to the outright lead by one.
With a birdie on the 9th Murdaca went out in 34, then with further birdies on the 11th and 14th he raced to 9-under extending his lead over Hendrick by five. Jack Williams who started the day equal with Murdaca, was 3-under struggling to hole putts.
With a wayward second shot on the short 467metre par 5, 15th hole, Murdaca found the greenside bunker for three and after failing to make up and down finished with a bogey, his second for the day.
Over the final three holes Murdaca gained a further three strokes on his playing partners after Hendrick made bogey on 16 and 17 and Williams 17 and 18. Murdaca birdied the final hole, to move into a great position to claim his first Classic win, with one round to play.
“I hit it solid again today, I didn’t hit it as well off the tee as previous rounds but made a couple of good putts for par. I made soft bogeys on the 8th and 15th but overall I am really happy with my round”.
“Tomorrow is just about repeating today, hitting some good shots and making some putts.” Murdaca added.
Murdaca leads Brayden Petersen (Monash – NSW) by three, after Peterson carded a 69 to be 5-under, while Will Somerfield from Kooyonga fired a one-under 71 to sit 3-under and be equal third with Sam Earl (72) from The Vines of Reynella.
Alex Hendrick is tied 5th with Douglas Klein from (Redcliffe NSW) at 2-under.
While Jack Williams and Riversdale Cup Champion Travis Smyth are even with the card and placed equal 7th.
The final men’s group of Murdaca, Petersen and Somerfield tee off in the final round at 8.56am Thursday 19 March.
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