ELEVEN YEARS AFTER becoming the youngest winner of the BMW PGA Championship, Italy’s Matteo Manassero will take a three-shot lead into the final round at Wentworth.
Six birdies for the Italian came in the last eight holes to move the 31-year-old clear 18-under, of playing partners Rory McIlroy and Billy Horschel, who shot 66 and 65 respectively despite intermittent spells of heavy rain, to stand at 15-under.
Manassero, who was just 20 when he claimed his fourth DP World Tour title in May 2013, carded an eagle and seven birdies in a flawless third round of 63 to reach 18 under par, a new tournament record.
Shane Lowry is in 25th position on seven-under after a one-under par round of 71 today. A birdie on the par-five 17th lifted Lowry into the red for his third round.
Padraig Harrington is a shot ahead of Lowry on eight-under after a superb 66 today that featured six birdies and no bogeys. He closed strongly with birdies on 17 and 18.
Tom McKibbin is also on seven-under after a 68 today, bouncing back impressively from a double bogey on the par-three second hole.
Overnight leader Matt Baldwin, who had equalled the tournament record with his halfway total of 13 under, carded a 71 to drop four shots off the pace.
McIlroy enjoyed a round free of dropped shots, with an eagle on the par-five 4th and the par-four 7th seeing him out in 32. He picked up further shots on the back nine with birdies on 10, 12 and 17.
He will play alongside Manassero and Horschel in tomorrow’s final round, teeing off at 12.05pm.
Manassero’s play-off win in 2013 looked set to make him the next star of European golf, but he lost his way chasing extra distance and had slumped to 1,805th in the world rankings before winning on the developmental Alps Tour three years ago.
After winning twice on the Challenge Tour last year, Manassero won his first top-tier event in more than a decade in South Africa in March and now has his sights set on a second victory of the season.
Manassero played alongside McIlroy in the last group in the final round of the Irish Open on Sunday, with both men overtaken by Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard in a thrilling finish at Royal County Down.
“I don’t think you would find one player on Tour that isn’t so happy for him,” McIlroy said of Manassero.
“To be a young phenom and then lose your game and go play the Alps Tour, the character you need to do that is amazing to see. He’s such a nice guy, level-headed and it’s good to see him back to where he belongs.”
McIlroy is also seeking a second victory at Wentworth after a lengthy wait, the world number three lifting the title in 2014 before going on to win his third and fourth majors in the Open and US PGA.
McIlroy is also seeking a second victory at Wentworth after a lengthy wait, the world number three lifting the title in 2014 before going on to win his third and fourth majors in the Open and US PGA.
“Since I won here I’ve had a few good chances I’ve let slip by,” McIlroy said after saving par on the 18th following an approach into the water.
“I’m basically a resident at Wentworth now, building a house here. I love it here. It would be amazing to get my name on the trophy again.”
Asked about bouncing back from agonisingly missing out on a first professional win in Northern Ireland seven days ago, McIlroy added: “I think it’s been a familiar story with my career.
“I have setbacks and I usually come back pretty well from them. Some are harder than others, obviously, but I think in this game you have to be resilient.
“You have to understand and recognise that you’re going to lose a lot more than you win, and you have to be okay with that and you have to accept that.
“I haven’t won since May but have given myself plenty of chances. I’m due, but that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily going to happen.”
Horschel is yet another player seeking a second BMW PGA Championship title having become just the second American winner after Arnold Palmer with his one-shot win in 2021.
The 37-year-old made seven birdies in a row from the eighth, just two short of the Tour record, and also birdied the 18th to join McIlroy and Manassero in Sunday’s final group.
“The hole looked like the size of the Atlantic Ocean,” Horschel said. “I made some long putts and had some close ones, as well. It was pretty special.”
Written by Press Association and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
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