George Coetzee, Woods sharing early lead at third round in Abu Dhabi Championship: Live Leaderboard Part-1
The year is probably leaning towards the raging South Africans as young George Coetzee has now surged to the top of the leaderboard in the third round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.
Pulling in a stunning seven-under, 65 on the third day, Coetzee took the better off the rest of the field to grab lead going into the final round on Sunday and will be hoping to land his maiden European Tour title that has proved so elusive for the Pretoria
native.
Ranked 82 on the official World Golf Rankings (OWGR), Coetzee has four Sunshine Tour titles and has played extensively in his home country after turning professional in 2007.
Having pulled in solid rounds of 71 and 72 in the previous days, Coetzee carded no fewer than five birdies without dropping a shot on the 18-hole stretch and topped the round with glistening eagle on par-five, 18th.
He is now sharing the lead with another eight players, all of whom are still playing to finish their 52-hole stretch.
Overnight leader Dane Thorbjørn Olesen is still working towards the last eight holes of the third round and had to suffer earlier in the day when he stumbled on two consecutive bogeys on fifth and sixth. He has carded three birdies for the moment.
Former world number one Tiger Woods has played brilliantly so far in the event and is now poised at eight-under on the aggregate, sharing the lead through the opening nine holes.
He started off his round from the front, carding two birdies before making the turn and has not dropped a single shot so far. He pulled in another birdie on the first hole on the back nine and is looking to grab an outright lead till the end of the day.
Scot Paul Lawrie, winner of the 1999 Open Championship, is also in contention for the star-studded European Tour title and is well known for his penchant for the Middle Eastern turf.
Lawrie started the day with three birdies on the front and made the turn to card two more on the opening holes. The 43-year-old Aberdeen native is looking in excellent form to take it all the way over the weekend.
To be continued...
Tags: