England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick on Saturday kept his head to see off a triple challenge and extend his lead to five shots after three rounds of the Nordea Masters in Stockholm.
The overnight leader, who started the day three clear, had been pegged back by the midway point at the Bro Hof Slott Golf Club, but played a superb back nine to record a four-under-par 68 and move to 15-under-par.
Defending champion Alex Noren of Sweden, who shot 67, and Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium, three back on 70, were Fitzpatrick’s closest challengers.
Photo: AP
Colsaerts had wiped out Fitzpatrick’s overnight advantage by the mid-point of his round, holing three birdies to match the Briton’s 11-under-par at the turn.
However, their fortunes changed on the first of the back nine, Colsaerts dropping a shot while his playing partner made birdie.
Then, at the par-five 13th, the 21-year-old Fitzpatrick, who claimed his first European Tour victory in the British Masters in October last year, conjured up a brilliant recovery, while Colsaerts missed his par putt after finding the water.
England’s Lee Westwood, a former world No. 1, failed to make a move and remained five-under after including a double-bogey in a round of 72.
Swede Henrik Stenson, the world No. 6, picked up two shots to card a 70 and finish on four-under.
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