Sergio Garcia is in sight of back-to-back victories after a dramatic finish to his Andalucia Masters third round on Saturday.
A four-under-par 67 took Garcia to six--under-par 207, two strokes ahead of Spanish compatriot Miguel Angel Jimenez and Swedish surprise contender Christian Nilsson.
Garcia took off his shoes and socks and rolled up his trousers to the delight of a large home gallery, to play out of the hazard on 17, but just failed to make par.
He bounced back immediately, though, with a spectacular approach from close to cork trees to under two feet on the last.
That earned Garcia his sixth birdie and put him on the brink of following up last week’s runaway Castello Masters victory, his first for nearly three years.
He went into the final round at Castellon eight shots ahead of the field and won by 11 strokes, but Garcia said he had a more difficult task this time. Garcia’s putter has not let him down as he continued the good form he found last week.
For playing-partner Jimenez (68), his putter was distinctly cold. He made two eagles — a pitch in on the fourth and a mere 18-incher on the 11th after a stunning approach — where his putter was almost redundant.
Nilsson (65), looking to clinch a place in the tour’s elite season-ending Dubai World Championship, is currently lying 64th on the Race to Dubai, with only the top 60 qualifying.
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