McIlroy puts pressure on Hanson

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bruced
October 27, 2012

Peter Hanson faces a tricky final day at the BMW Masters after Rory McIlroy moved to within one shot of his Ryder Cup teammate.

Peter Hanson faces a tricky final day at the BMW Masters in Shanghai after Rory McIlroy moved to within one shot of his Ryder Cup teammate on Saturday.

A third-round 70 took Hanson to 16 under par, but McIlroy closed the gap by shooting 69, giving him an excellent chance of a fifth win this season.

Twice Hanson was caught over the course of the day – first by McIlroy and then by Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts – as he recorded three bogeys in the first eight holes.

However the Swede regained his composure and birdied the ninth, 11th, 13th and 15th to take control once more.

McIlroy matched a couple of those, made a tricky putt to narrow the gap to one again on the 16th and then lipped out from nine feet at the 17th.

That allowed Hanson to retain the lead he carried after 36 holes, even if McIlroy’s form ensured that the final day is likely to be a nervy one.

“The wind was blowing from the opposite direction, which made some of the holes trickier,” Hanson said. “It was not as easy to go low and my driving was not great, but it was still a good round.

“I need to play better, but if I can get back to how I was the first two days I think I have a good chance.

“To win would mean a lot. This is the start of a big stretch and it’s nice to find a bit of form.”

South African George Coetzee’s 66 took him into third – three shots off the pace – while Luke Donald, Justin Rose and Irish pair Michael Hoey and Shane Lowry are all sitting on 11 under.

Colsaerts’ day was ruined in the last three holes – he drove into thick rough on the 16th and went over the green with his third on the way to a double-bogey, which was followed by another on the 17th when his tee shot plopped in the lake.

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