Saturday 29 October 2011

Sergio Seeks Second Win after 67


Sergio Garcia's golfing revival continued as he surged into a two-shot lead after the third round of the Andalucia Masters at Valderrama.

Six days after his first victory for almost three years with an amazing 11-stroke margin on his home course in Castellon, the 31-year-old Spanish star moved from three behind to two ahead with a four-under-par 67.

Needing to win again to qualify for the upcoming HSBC world championship in China, Garcia is on the six-under-par mark of 207 with a round to go.

Compatriot Miguel Angel Jimenez (68) and Swede Christian Nilsson, who had a joint best-of-the-week 65 on Saturday, are tied for second at four-under.

Overnight leader Richie Ramsay is three back after closing with two bogeys for a 73 - and nobody else is below par following a day that saw defending champion Graeme McDowell card 81.
Drama

Garcia's round was not without its drama on a course where he has been a runner-up, but never won.

At the long 17th his second shot from a fairway bunker ran on to rocks just by the lake and he decided to play it.

Taking off his shoes and socks and rolling up his trouser legs, Garcia stepped into the water and went for the shot.

It finished in the rough right of the green and led to a bogey six - his second of the week there - but his approach to the 454-yard last finished less than two feet from the flag and set up his sixth birdie.

"It obviously was risky," he said of his third to the 17th, "but I liked my chances of getting up and down better from there than the drop zone.

"After I three-putted the fifth I came straight back with a birdie, so to have that bouncebackability is always nice.

"I don't want to get ahead of myself, Hopefully I can come out and have the same feelings and mentality and my best will be good enough."