Whiteford joins Horsey in Russian lead

European Tour

Scotland’s Peter Whiteford joined David Horsey in a share of the lead after the third round of the Russian Open at Tseleevo Golf & Polo Club.

Whiteford started the day with a splendid front nine as he birdied five of his first six holes to card a 66 which moved him to 13-under-par for the tournament.

After dropping a shot on the seventh Whiteford was quick to make up for the blunder as he holed out from a bunker at the next for an eagle three.

“I had an amazing start,” Whiteford told the European Tour’s official website.
“I holed a bunker shot on the first and then chipped in on the third. Dave (Horsey) chipped in as well – he stole some of my glory there!

“I got off to a flyer and then the back nine I was just hanging on for dear life. The swing didn’t feel great at all to be honest.

On the 15th Whiteford hit his tee shot into the forest and but was fortunate enough to watch his ball bounce back into the fairway – highlighting just how much lady luck had smiled on him.

“Hopefully I haven’t used up all my luck, but I certainly used a big chunk there,” he quipped.

Meanwhile England’s Horsey was quick to extend his overnight lead as he birdied the first and third, but would later be lose his advantage to Whiteford with a bogey at the ninth.

Horsey regained the lead with consecutive birdies at the start of the back-nine while Whiteford dropped a shot on the tenth.

A bogey at the 13th and a poor chip at the 15th saw him relinquish the two shot lead he had just recaptured .

“Pete started like a train and I was just trying to tell myself to concentrate on my own game,” said Horsey who carded a 70 ahead of the final round.

“It wasn’t that easy out there today and I certainly didn’t see a five or six under through nine holes.

“I just kept reminding myself to stay patient and concentrate on my own game, not what Pete was doing. I was disappointed not to birdie the eighth and then bogey the ninth – three under at the turn would have been nice. But then I birdied the tenth and 11th and tried to get back to the thought process that I’ve had the first two days.

The round of the day (and the week thus far) belonged to Italy’s Andrea Pavan who shot a 64 to share third place with Scotland’s Scott Jamieson and Belgian rookie Thomas Pieters on nine-under-par.

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