Michael Campbell heads a world class leaderboard going into the final round of the Smurfit European Open and with the 1999 Open Champion Paul Lawrie and home favourite Padriag Harrington lying only a shot behind, the final day at The K Club has all the ingredients of a classic.
Campbell birdied the final hole for a two under par 70 to move to seven under par 209 and maintain his one stroke advantage but he will have to contend not only with Harrington in the tomorrow’s final gourp, but also the huge Irish support.
“It is going to be a great day for everyone out there tomorrow, especially the spectators,” said Campbell. “There are ten or 15 guys in with a chance of winning the tournament. Having played the New Zealand Open for the past seven years I can understand with Padriag is playing so well, like Darren Clarke did last year. He will be tough to beat but is beatable. He will be have the home support but the Irish people are very knowledgeable about the game of golf and respect all the players so it will be fun tomorrow.”
Campbell started the round one shot clear of the field and birdied the first hole to move to six under but fell back to five under with a bogey on the sixth. Birdies at the tenth, 16th and 18th and just the one dropped shot on the 17th brought him home in 35 as he edged ahead of the chasing pack.
“It was frustrating for me today,” added Campbell. “I played well from tee to green but missed a lot of putts coming home. The putt on the last was nice to lead the tournament with 18 holes to play. I had a lot of opportunities but didn’t convert them. Hopefully tomorrow it will it will be my turn.”
Harrington received the biggest cheer of the day when he eagled the final hole, hitting a seven iron approach to six feet and rolling in the putt for a second successive 69 to move to six under par.
“That was important to me,” said Harrington. “After not birdieing the 16th and bogeying the 17th I would have been frustrated because I had a lot of chances today but I stayed patient and got rewarded on the last.
“I’ve got to think I am in with a chance tomorrow. I have got to hole a few putts, but besides that we will have to wait and see.
“This is a big event in a European context but means more because it is at home, only half an hour from where I grew up, so there’s more to it than just the European Open.”
Lawrie is back at the top of the leaderboard for the first time since winning the Dunhill Links Championship last October and could have been the outright leader if putts on the last three holes had dropped rather than slip by the edge of the hole.
“I played beautiful today,” said Lawrie. “Hit one bad shot off the first and that was it. The last nine holes I made two birdies and missed a putt on pretty much every green. All good putts, all dead pace.
“I am swinging the club well and know I can hole putts at the right time, or I hope I can tomorrow. I’ve got no fears. I am not saying I am going to win but I have no fears going out there tomorrow. I am going out there to try my hardest. That is all you can do.”
England’s Barry Lane, who lost a play-off for the title to Bernhard Langer in 1995, is a further shot back on five under par after a round of 71 while Colin Montgomerie and Joakim Haegmann are well within striking distance at four under par and only three shots off the lead after rounds of 68 and 71 respectively.
