Frenchman Grégory Bourdy and Robert-Jan Derksen of the Netherlands hold a one shot lead over the field going into the final round of the Mallorca Classic.
A total of 18 players had to return on Sunday morning to complete their third rounds as the penultimate tournament on The 2007 European Tour International Schedule continued to play catch-up to storm delays which blighted the opening day’s play.
One of those players was Derksen, who had to return to complete the final three holes. The Dutchman began the stretch with a one shot lead in the tournament but began with a bogey five at the 442 yard 16th.
The winner of the 2003 Dubai Desert Classic and the 2005 Madeira Island Open finished with two par figures for a 70, however, to tie Bourdy at the head of affairs, the Frenchman being one of the players who did manage to finish his third round as scheduled on Saturday night and indeed, he did it in style with a six under par 64 for a nine under par total of 201.
Derksen’s playing partner Jean-Francois Lucquin – searching for his maiden Tour victory – was another player who had to return to complete three holes and, like the Dutchman, he also did that in figures of one over par.
Luquin’s bogey came at the final hole which saw him card a one over par 71 for an eight under par total of 202 and a share of third place with another man looking for his first European Tour title, Ireland’s Peter Lawrie, who posted a third round 68.
While the race for the title and the €333,330 first prize remains intriguing, at the other end of the spectrum, the fight to preserve playing privileges for the 2008 season prepares to enter the final furlong with, understandably, tensions rising amongst all the players right on the mark.
Although the exact identity of the players who will survive will not be known until the end of play on Sunday night, the second round cut on Saturday morning has cleared up one issue, namely it will be the top 117 players on the Order of Merit who will keep their cards by right this season.
This is because Affiliate Member Alan McLean – who was not in the Mallorca Classic field – will surrender his current 116th place position due to the performances of the three players directly behind him on the Order of Merit; Ian Garbutt (117th), Alessandro Tadini (118th) and Jarmo Sandelin (119th).
All three are less than €2000 behind McLean at present and with the last place prize money in Mallorca being €3000, all will pass the Canadian-based Scot regardless of where they finish at Pula Golf Club.
The only question which then remains is just how much money they will make and where they will end up, indeed can they make enough to threaten players such as Lee Slattery – currently in 115th place but who missed the cut – or Michael Jonzon – currently in 113th place but not playing in Mallorca?
Add in the further equation of players further down the Order of Merit doing well at the top end of the leader board, and calculators will be required as play comes down to the wire on Sunday.
Leading the way in that respect are the English duo of Richard Finch, currently in 124th place on the Order of Merit, and Sam Little, who occupies 136th place. Both know that a prominent finish in the Mallorca Classic would win them sufficient money to reach the top 117 and, going into the final round, they are tied together in fifth place on seven under par 203.
And also trying their hardest to join them are another Englishman Robert Rock (currently 130th on the Order of Merit but joint 13th in the tournament) Australian Matthew Millar (133rd but tied 25th), and German’s Marcel Siem (139th but tied ninth).
All could have a say in the final make up of the bottom end of the Order of Merit for season 2007. It promises to be a tense final round at Pula Golf Club.
