Phillip Price takes a slender one stroke lead into the final round of the Victor Chandler British Masters after a third round 68, four under par, took him to 15 under par 201 but the man he pipped for a Ryder Cup place, Ian Poulter, is hot on his heels.
Price bogeyed the last, his first dropped shot in 50 holes, but remains on course for his third European Tour title following his two previous victories in the Algarve Portuguese Open. Poulter seemed likely to drop three shots behind after blasting his tee shot on the last 30 yards right of the fairway but somehow managed to punch a three iron recovery through a six foot gap in the trees to just short of the green and chipped and putted to save par as Price bogeyed. Poulter’s 67 left him two clear of the chasing pack of Justin Rose, Gary Evans and Soren Hansen.
Last August Price claimed the tenth and final automatic qualifying place for the European Ryder Cup team, edging Poulter into 11th and after suffering a slight drop in form is back to his best.
“I was quite tidy today,” said Price. “I thought we would pull away from the field a little but we have brought everybody back. If someone shoots low we’ll have to watch out.
“Winning a tournament like this is the next step for me. This is a quality field and the kind of field I want to win a tournament in.”
The third player in the final group will be England’s Justin Rose, Poulter’s best friend and house guest this week, after a brilliant 65, seven under par, moved 21 year old to 12 under par. The two young guns have never played together in a tournament but the friendly rivalry between the two should provide some fireworks over the Marquess Course at Woburn Golf and Country Club.
“Playing with Justin has made me more happy than anything else,” said Poulter, winner of two titles on The European Tour International Schedule. “I think it will be exciting. He plays a similar game to me, pretty aggressive and I think it will be a firey three ball tomorrow. It will be good fun.”
Rose, who recently added The Crowns Tournament in Japan to his two victories earlier in the year in South Africa, is now hoping for his first victory in England. “My record on English soil hasn’t been that great so I was determined to be more focused and it seems to be working. I am just making an effort to stay concentrated and not look around at friends in the gallery.
“I had a lot of chances, started with four birdies in a row, but then my round went a little quiet. The six foot putt on the ninth got my round back on track and I am pleased with the score.”
