Garth Mulroy leads Italian Open by one shot
Garth Mulroy matched his first round’s score at the BMW Italian Open to lead the championship after the third round. The South African shot a magnificent 6-under 66 to snatch the lead from the overnight leader, Richard Bland.
Mulroy started the round brilliantly by scoring a birdie but on the fifth, he bogeyed. However, later on, he made up for it by carding three straight birdies on the 6th, 7th, and 8th hole.
Mulroy has won tournaments at his home but he has not won a single tournament in Europe. Leading the Italian Open by one stroke with one round to go, the South African has the best chance to lift the trophy in Turin.
''I said on the first day the course reminds me a lot of a South African course,'' he said. ''The trees, the shape, and the ball go a little further, too. ... I haven't played so well this year. It would be a big thing to win on mainland Europe''.
A trio of Spaniards trail Mulroy. Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano is just one shot adrift of the Gary with 16-under. Meanwhile, Rafa Cabrera-Bello and Pablo Larrazabal are two shots adrift of the leader after shooting 65 and 66 in the third round respectively.
Castano had a very unprofessional round. He scored seven birdies, four bogeys and an eagle at the par 5, 8th.
"I played well but I had a few unforced errors which cost me a few shots,” Fernandez-Castaño said. "But two birdies to finish on the last two holes have put me back in contention and I'm in a great position for tomorrow. It's not going to be an easy task".
The tournament is still wide open, with fourteen players resting at a distance of five shots away from the leader.
Mulroy would need to be on his toes right from the start if he wants to win his first title on the European soil.
The overnight leader Bland is four shots adrift, after he registered a mediocre third round score of 71. Bland’s round included a bogey and just two birdies.
The two Ryder Cup players, Martin Kaymer and Nicolas Colsaerts, are still in contention but they need to shoot really low scores.
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