Levy retains 3-shot Shenzhen lead
Print Edition
ALEXANDER Levy of France overcame driving rain and gusting winds to shoot a 2-under 70 at the China Open yesterday and maintain a three-stroke lead over Alvaro Quiros of Spain heading into the final round.
Levy, aiming for his first European Tour title, birdied three straight holes on the back nine, but opened the door for Quiros with bogeys on No. 14 and 16. The Spaniard couldn’t close the gap, however, making two bogeys of his own down the stretch.
Levy is at 16-under 200.
Finn Mikko Ilonen was four strokes back in third after a 67, while England’s Tommy Fleetwood (67) and Spain’s Adrian Otaegui (71) were another stroke behind in a tie for fourth.
A day after 15-year-old Chinese amateur Guan Tianlang failed to make the cut, another young homegrown talent, 18-year-old Li Haotong, shot a 67 to match the low score of the day and jump into joint eighth at 7 under.
Third-ranked Henrik Stenson, however, didn’t make up any ground on the leaders, falling 12 shots behind after shooting a 71. The Swede needs a win here to take over the top ranking from American Tiger Woods.
Levy wasn’t nearly as accurate as he was on Friday, when he holed a 20-foot putt for eagle and sunk eight birdies en route to setting a new course record in Shenzhen. But he handled the nasty weather at the start of his round and maintained his focus after his late bogeys.
The Frenchman knows he will face a lot more pressure today, even with a three-shot cushion. Last year, he was tied with Ernie Els for the lead ahead of the final round of the BMW International Open, but hit four bogeys in his last nine holes to slip to third.
“I will be nervous, but because you’re nervous doesn’t mean you can’t play well,” he said. “I’ll sleep nicely because I’m tired. It was a long day with the weather and difficult golf course.”
With the leaders so far ahead, Li is playing for another goal — a big payday. The Genzon Golf Club has pledged to double the purse for any Chinese player finishing in the top five.
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