Ivo Giner and Maarten Lafeber are tied for the lead in the Madeira Island Open on eight under par but fog brought a premature end to play on the third day with 21 players, including all the leaders, still to complete their third round.
Giner and Lafeber had both completed the 16th when play was suspended at 4.15pm as low cloud rolled in and engulfed the Santo da Serra course. The final group was stranded on the 15th and four groups were unable to play the 18th hole.
Giner picked up five birdies in total, including the all important one on the 16th which took him to the head of proceedings before the suspension.
“I three putted the first but then got that back on the third and played really well from there,” said Giner, who played in the same Spanish team as the World Number Five, Sergio Garcia. “I lost my card two years ago but have been practising hard and it is starting to pay off. Tomorrow I will try to avoid trouble and hopefully make some birdies. This is a big week for me and I have a chance.”
Lafeber, 11th in the Carlsberg Malaysian Open last month, lost the outright lead with a bogey on the 15th after four birdies took him to the top of the leaderboard.
“I played really well,” said Lafeber. “I had a lot of chances but didn’t convert them. It will be close tomorrow. Hopefully I can play the same tee to green and hole a few putts.”
A shot adrift of the two leaders is a group of four players including the Volvo PGA Champion Andrew Oldcorn who is vying for a place in the Great Britain and Ireland team for next month’s Seve Trophy. Oldcorn, currently 11th in the standings, needs to finish in the top five to have any chance of making the ten-man team but first he must pass Steve Webster, who moved to two under par with a round of 70.
Ireland’s Phillip Walton also moved into contention for the Madeira Island Open crown as he tries to put three disappointing years behind him by regaining his European Tour card. Walton, who secured the winning point in the 1995 Ryder Cup, picked up seven birdies with just the one dropped shot to move within a stroke of the leaders.
“We will see how it goes tomorrow,” said Walton. “I’ve played well this week but I’ve got no expectations. Just go out and do the best I can. I would love to get back on Tour full time. I certainly miss it when I am at home.”
The group is completed by Italy’s Massimo Florioli, third in this event last year after leadinbg by two strokes going into the final round before being overhauled by Des Smyth, and England’s Paul Dwyer.
Dwyer, who plays on the Challenge Tour, has been making steady progress since turning professional in 1996 and can even include playing with Tiger Woods at St Andrews in his cv, albeit only for one during practice at the 2000 Open Championship.
The 28 year old from Lancashire was leading the tournament until a three putt on the 17th green but still faces arguably the most important day of his career tomorrow.
Those players still to complete their third rounds will return to the course at 8am. The final round will start at 8.10am with the players going out in the same groups as today on a two tee start, the final gourp teeing off at 10.10am.
