On a day when Welsh rugby took a battering at the hands of Australia and the Czech Republic put a serious dent in Welsh footballing hopes of appearing at Euro 2008, Bradley Dredge ensured the nation’s sporting ambitions were still burning bright in the golfing sphere.
The 33 year old from Tredegar has won twice on The European Tour International Schedule and partnered Stephen Dodd to victory in the World Cup of Golf in 2005 but nothing would mean more to the passionate Welshman than to pick up the trophy as winner of The Celtic Manor Wales Open.
And the good news for the thousands of Welsh fans who will flock to the venue for The 2010 Ryder Cup on Sunday is the fact that Dredge has an excellent chance of doing just that and becoming the first Welsh winner of the event.
Dredge goes into the last round in the final grouping of the day, tied at ten under par 197 with the exciting new talent from Germany, Martin Kaymer. Both players carded four under par 65s on a Saturday blessed with glorious sunshine to set up the enthralling head-to-head.
The tournament in South Wales has seen a bit of a logjam at the head of affairs all week and going into the final round will be no different with 12 players within three shots of the leading pair, the closest challengers on nine under par 198 being South Africa’s Richard Sterne, who posted a flawless 64, and overnight leader Mads Vibe-Hastrup of Denmark, who recovered well after a poor opening to birdie two of his last three holes for a 68.
The supporting cast might well come through to steal the limelight but there is no doubt who will be centre stage as the leaders go off on Sunday; namely Dredge and Kaymer.
Perhaps with the weight of expectation of the large galleries on his shoulders, Dredge got off to a shaky start in his third round with bogeys at two of his first four holes. But after that he was consistency personified, his only departures from par coming with birdies at the fifth, seventh, ninth, 13th and 16th.
With the big crowds cheering him down the stretch, the last thing he wanted to do was drop a shot at the last, an outcome which seemed possible when his errant drive found a fairway bunker.
But, after splashing out and hitting his wedge third shot to six feet, he showed nerves of steel to roll in the putt for a closing par four.
“It was a good scramble at the last there,” he admitted. “I have been driving the ball well but didn’t hit a great one, just caught the bunker and it wasn’t an easy second shot but I made a good wedge third shot and holed a good putt.
“I am feeling really good actually and it is nice to have a bit of a support and is in direct contrast to Ireland the other week. The support has been great and it is nice to have the fans round behind me and I’m sure they’ll turn out in force tomorrow and get right behind me.
“Padraig said after beating me and winning in Ireland that, after the Majors, your home Open is the one you want to win the most and he hit the nail right on the head. You always want to win your national title. I am going out tomorrow and I will be trying my very best – I really want to win this.”
Up against him will be a young man not many people in Wales might have heard of before this week, but a player they will certainly know now.
Martin Kaymer might only be 22 but he has packed a lot into his 18 months as a professional golfer including winning two of only eight starts on the Challenge Tour last year to fast track himself straight to the big stage of The European Tour in 2007.
Now he has a great chance to take another giant leap forward and win his first major title and, despite dropping shots at both the 17th and 18th holes which cost him the outright lead, he retained the buoyant confidence of youth going into the final round.
“Things have gone very fast since I turned professional last year,” he said. “I have always dreamt of playing on The European Tour and now here I am doing it and playing in all the great tournaments and on all the great golf courses, it is just fantastic.
“People are expecting a lot from me after my form of last year but that is okay, that is why I play golf. Actually it doesn’t matter what other people think about me, I am just looking forward to going out and trying to play good golf.
“I was a little disappointed to have finished like that in the third round but the good thing is that I am still tied for the lead and I am looking forward to tomorrow and the chance to go out there with Bradley. It should be a great final round.”
