Golf – KLM Open:US PGA Champion Martin Kaymer made his move to the top of the leaderboard on day three of the KLM Open in Hilversum where Michael Hoey also made smooth progress.
Kaymer birdied his two final holes to take a one-shot lead into the final round. Golf’s newest major champion sank a 10-foot putt at the 17th and then hit a shot-of-the-day recovery from sand on the par five last for a 66 and 10 under par total of 200.
The 25-year-old German, trying to make it five wins in a row by members of Colin Montgomerie’s Ryder Cup team, overtook Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti and Swede Christian Nilsson.
Kaymer himself began the run of success by taking the US PGA Championship last month. That was followed by Peter Hanson at the Czech Open, Edoardo Molinari in the Johnnie Walker Championship and then last Sunday by Miguel Angel Jimenez at the Omega European Masters.
This is Kaymer’s first outing since Whistling Straits and if he lifts the €300,000 winner’s cheque he will open up a considerable lead over Graeme McDowell at the top of the European Tour money list.
While Kaymer is ranked sixth in the world, Zanotti is 279th and Nilsson 255th. The latter pair have only two top-10 finishes between them in 38 Tour events this season, but shot 65 and 68 respectively to keep their title hopes alive.
It is a big day coming up for both of them. Zanotti is 111th on the Order of Merit and Nilsson 138th, and only the leading 115 keep their cards at the end of the year.
The forecast is for heavy rain tomorrow and Kaymer’s caddie Craig Connolly told him on the 16th that there was a possibility of the final round being cancelled.
“He said maybe we should be more aggressive (to try to grab the 54-hole lead) and I definitely was on the 17th,” said Kaymer. “Then I made one of the best up and downs this week. That was a difficult one with the hump in the green.
“The Ryder Cyp was the main goal for this year, but once I reached that I made another one - to win the Order of Merit - and so every tournament is important.
“Once you lead the tournament you should win the tournament, so of course I expect myself to win.”
Francesco Molinari and Ross Fisher, the other two Ryder Cup debutants in the field, scored 67 and 68 respectively to be four under and three under.
Hoey is just putside the top 10 on five under after shooting 66. The Belfast professional dropped a shot on the first hole but five birdies, including one at the 18th, ensured a good day's work.
Darren Clarke (67) and Peter Lawrie (69) were a stroke further back on four under. Clarke’s round contained four birdies and the one dropped shot at the 11th, while Lawrie traded three birdies against two bogeys.
Damien McGrane dropped off the pace with a 72 to be three under, while Shane Lowry made a little progress with his 69 to get to one under, one better than Simon Thornton, who carded a 70. Gareth Maybin lost ground with a 72 to drop back to one over.