Playing alongside World No. 2 Adam Scott in round three of the Talisker Masters at Royal Melbourne today, Nathan Holman (Woodlands G.C) hung around all day to shoot a one-under 70 as he had a front row seat to his playing partner’s supurb ball striking performance.
Scott posted a sizzling 30 on the front nine including four birdies in five holes through 5-9. Back-to-back bogeys on 11 & 12, brought the reigning champion back to -12 but it wasn’t long until those were erased with birdies on 15 & 17 and a magfiicant up and down from the sand on 16 to salvage par. Another up and down on the final hole saw the US Masters Champion enter the clubhouse with a five-under 66 to be leading at -14.
Holman had a fast start to his round, sinking three birdie putts in the opening four holes before faultering on 5 & 7. Eight consecutive pars followed until the 16th where the young pro looked to have saved par with a fantastic third shot into the green but missed the three-footer to move back to 9-under, where he started the day. A quick bounceback birdie on 17 and a par on 18 left his scorecard at 70 for the round.
Fellow Victorian Matt Griffin played solidly except for a double-bogey five on the par three 5th. Wanting a break through major victory in Australia, Griffin followed his blemish with four birdies to post a two-under 69, tied with Holman at -10.
Also tied at -10 are Vijay Singh who shot a tournament best eight-under 63 today and will play in the final group tomorrow with Scott and Nick Cullen, the round one leader. One shot further back is American Matt Kuchar (-9).
Griffin and Cullen will again play alongside each other whilst Holman will play with Kuchar.
Meanwhile, comeback story Jarrod Lyle improved on his opening two rounds of 72, 71 with a one-under 70 and is tied 29th at even par. In what has been a highly emotional week for Lyle and his supporting cast, the 32 year old was three-under after six holes before recording 10 straight pars. But it was the final two holes that caused Lyle the most trouble, finishing bogey, bogey to move back to even. Lyle will tee it up in the final round with New Zealander Michael Long at 10:50am.
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