Francesco Molinari and An Byeong-hun shared the lead after the BMW PGA Championship third round, but the hair-raising golf was supplied by Miguel Angel Jimenez and Tommy Fleetwood on Saturday.
Pony-tailed Spaniard Jimenez registered the 10th hole-in-one of his career, a European Tour record, and shaggy-haired Englishman Fleetwood notched the third albatross in the 60-year history of the tournament.
Italy’s Molinari, who had been at the top of the leaderboard since day one, posted a four-under 68, while South Korean An went one better than his playing partner as the pair finished two shots clear of the field on 14-under 202.
Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee (68) was in third place on 204, one ahead of Fleetwood (65) and two in front of 2008 champion Jimenez (68).
The 51-year-old Spaniard, a favorite of the Wentworth crowd, performed a jig of delight after watching his nine-iron tee shot land six feet beyond the pin at the 154-yard second, before spinning back into the cup.
The ace, his third of the season and second in nine days after he also recorded a hole-in-one at last week’s Open de Espana, meant he overhauled Colin Montgomerie’s career tally of nine.
“The main thing is I’ve got the right club in my hand and make a good swing,” Jimenez told reporters. “I’ve been very prolific this year in Abu Dhabi, the Spanish Open and now here. My irons, they are like darts. It’s nice to have the record.”
Fleetwood conjured another wonder shot when his second stroke went straight into the hole for a two at the 552-yard, par-five fourth.
“I had 198 yards to the pin with a little down breeze and it was pretty much a normal seven-iron,” the 24-year-old said. “I hit the perfect shot eight feet right of the pin and luckily it spun left. It’s the first albatross I’ve ever had.”
The two previous BMW PGA Championship albatrosses came from, coincidentally enough, Jimenez at the same hole in 2009 and Sweden’s Pierre Fulke at the 12th in 1994.
While the fans were being treated to some fireworks up ahead, Molinari was trying to lay the foundations for his first victory in three years.
“There were a few balls flying about at the start, with the albatrosses and other stuff you don’t want to see when you’re leading,” the bearded 32-year-old said.
An, making his debut in the event, made a real run at his playing partner as he picked up five birdies and only one bogey on the back nine.
“I started with a tap-in birdie at the first and hit it great all day,” he said.
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