Defending champions Sweden and Italy’s Molinari brothers closed to within one shot of long-time leaders Ireland after the third-round fourballs at the World Cup yesterday.
Ireland, leading by three strokes overnight, were unable to repeat their first-round heroics in front of sizeable galleries at Mission Hills in southern China, their 64 leaving them at 26-under after 54 holes.
Franceso Molinari holed an 18-footer on the par-four 18th for a 61 to lie just one shot adrift of Ireland’s Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell, before Sweden’s Henrik Stenson also birdied the last to draw level in second place.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Ireland, who started the US$5.5 million tournament with a 58 in the opening fourballs on Thursday, were off to a strong start with a McDowell birdie at the second, before McIlroy holed a 12-footer for a birdie at the third, but they were unable to maintain their cushion.
McIlroy, ranked 10 in the world, said Ireland were still positive despite seeing their lead whittled down to one shot, adding that they had not taken full advantage of the fourball format.
“We seem to play the holes that we played well, we both played them well. That sometimes doesn’t work in fourball too well. You just sort of dovetail a little bit,” McIlroy said. “We played well and we probably left a couple of shots out there, but we are still in a great position going into tomorrow and that’s the main thing. So still very positive.”
Both players said a win would be the highlight of their careers so far.
“You know, it’s very special to win an event, but to win it with a partner and to win it with a friend would make it even more special,” said McIlroy, who finished second on the European Tour money list.
The Molinaris finished strongly with six birdies on the back nine after lying four shots off the pace overnight.
Edoardo Molinari, who defeated Sweden’s Robert Karlsson in a playoff to win the Dunlop Phoenix tournament last weekend, rolled in a 20-foot putt at the par-three 17th, before his brother birdied the last.
“We played very well today. He was probably a little bit better than I was today. Both of us, we managed to make a lot of birdies and hole the putts in the right moments,” Edoardo Molinari said. “It was definitely a good score out there today because the pins were quite difficult and even the other teams are not shooting as low as the first round. So I think 61 today is a great score.”
Sweden hit four consecutive birdies on the back nine, including at the 15th, where world No. 7 Stenson missed a six-foot putt for an eagle. The Swedes have yet to drop a shot at this year’s World Cup.
“We are right in the mix tomorrow and it’s going to be, I think, Ireland and Italy in the last group,” Stenson said. “We have the recipe from last year with a 63 in the [final round] foursome. If we can get anything close to that tomorrow, I think we have a good chance.”
Japan and South Africa lie a further six shots back on 19-under, ahead of England and Wales, on 18-under.
Taiwan’s Lin Wen-tang and Lu Wei-chih shot a 67 to be tied for 26th place on eight-under.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY STAFF WRITER
■CASIO OPEN
AFP, KOCHI, JAPAN
Japan’s teenage sensation Ryo Ishikawa shot a four-under 68 to tie for the three-way lead after the third round of the Casio Open yesterday.
The 18-year-old Ishikawa, the leader of the money earner’s list, carded five birdies against one bogey to catch up with overnight leaders Komei Oda and Shigeki Maruyama on a three-round total of 14-under 202.
“One birdie, or one par, means a lot in this free-for-all competition. It was windy today, but I was able to play the best round I could do in these conditions,” Ishikawa said. “For tomorrow, first of all, I will try to play very well, then I will try to join the competition for the title. I want to play the 18th hole with the possibility of winning the title.”
Ishikawa has revived the Japanese men’s game since winning the domestic KSB Cup in May 2007 as a 15-year-old amateur, making him the youngest winner of any event on one of the world’s six major tours.
Defending champion Oda sank two birdies, while Maruyama had five birdies against three bogeys, both for a 70.
Katsumasa Miyamoto trailed the three leaders by one stroke, followed by fellow Japanese Tomohiro Kondo and Tetsuji Hiratsuka one stroke further back and Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand on 205.
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