Former Ryder Cup star Thomas Pieters storms home in just 30 shots to claim a share of the lead with Matthieu Pavon after the third round of the Portugal Masters. Watch Sunday's final round live on Sky Sports Golf
Tuesday 9 November 2021 09:42, UK
Thomas Pieters produced a riveting back-nine charge to claim a share of the 54-hole lead with Matthieu Pavon at the Portugal Masters.
Pieters struggled to keep his challenge on track early on day three at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course in Vilamoura, battling the breezy conditions and a succession of "mud balls" which prompted him to question why preferred lies were not in operation.
One mud ball was the cause of a double-bogey seven at the fifth as the fiery Belgian left himself with much to do to keep pace with an impressive Pavon, who cruised into the lead with three birdies in four holes in his outward 31.
But with the wind easing after the turn, Pieters followed a birdie at 10 with a superb 25-foot putt for eagle despite a "terrible" three-wood at the 12th, and he also birdied four of the last five holes to cap an entertaining inward 30 and a round of 65, a score matched by the Frenchman.
Pieters and Pavon closed on 16 under and have a four-shot advantage over Lucas Bjerregaard, while the likes of Sam Horsfield, Richard Bland and Callum Shinkwin have outside chances of victory heading into the final round.
"The front nine was really tough with the wind, but we got lucky and it died down on the back nine," said Pieters, chasing his fifth European Tour title and his first since August 2019.
"The front nine was brutal. The wind switched every five seconds, it felt like. I putted well, gave myself plenty of chances and it was nice to walk off with a putt like that at 18.
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"I felt like I played well all day. I'm not going to make any excuses but I had a mud ball on the par five, the fifth. I had five mudballs on the first nine, so I didn't understand why we didn't place the ball today.
"But I finished well. I hit a terrible three wood into 12, got away with it and made the putt. In my head that was like a two or three-shot swing, and I was very positive after that."
