Ignacio Garrido of Spain muscled his way into contention to win his second European Tour title at Golf d’Amelkis when he shot a third round 67 to take a one-stroke lead in the Moroccan Open Méditel.
The 28-year-old from Madrid heads a congested leader board with a 17-under-par total of 199. He is one ahead of Challenge Tour player Seb Delagrange of France, who fired a seven-under-par 65 for a total of 200.
They are followed closely by a group of four players on
201 – Australian amateur Adam Scott (69), halfway leader Pedro Martinez of Paraguay (71), South African Des Terblanche (65) and Ian Poulter of England, who birdied four of the last six holes for a 68.
Garrido, whose one and only win came in the German Open in 1997, steered his way round the superb Amelkis course without a driver after breaking his club at the second hole of the second round.
However of more concern to the Spanish Ryder Cup player was the close proximity of teenager Scott, who played in the final group with him and made a deep impression on Garrido.
He marvelled: “I thought I was playing with a white Tiger Woods. He has exactly the same game. Unbelievable! From the first drive I could see how similar they are. He is a clone of Tiger – very impressive.”
Scott, attempting to become the first amateur winner on the European Tour, did not quite make the sparks fly, but he is still very much in contention. Also there is 26 year old Parisien Delagrange, a Challenge Tour regular, whose 65 contained a four birdie finishing salvo.
Delagrange, who has tried five times without success to win his Tour card at the Qualifying School, revealed: “I decided to completely change my game 18 months ago as I didn’t think it was strong enough for the European Tour. It is starting to work and if my putting is good enough tomorrow maybe I can win.”
Terblanche matched Delagrange’s 65 to move into a tie for third place. The burly South African, who joined the European Tour as an Affiliate Member in January, has vindicated that move by earning enough already to secure his card for 2001.
He said: “I suppose it was a bit of a gamble, but sometimes you have to speculate to accumulate and this is where I want to be – on the European Tour.”
Jamie Spence of England is just three off the pace on 202, 14 under par, after picking up five strokes at the closing seven holes on his way to a round of 68.
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