Norgaard takes four-shot lead into final Belfry round
Denmark’s Niklas Norgaard has a four-shot cushion heading into the final round of the British Masters after Tyrrell Hatton crashed out of contention.
Hatton began the day with a one-shot lead but ended it 10 adrift following a miserable 76 at The Belfry, where Norgaard carded nine birdies in a brilliant 64 on Saturday, just one off the course record.
Norgaard looked set to enjoy an even bigger lead when he followed a front nine of 33 with birdies at the 10th, 11th, 14th, 15th and 16th to move six shots clear, only to bogey the par-five 17th.
That allowed Thriston Lawrence, who finished fourth in the Open at Royal Troon, to close within three as he birdied the last four holes in a 67, but Norgaard responded superbly to also birdie the 18th and finish 16 under par.
David Micheluzzi is best placed among the Australians, on one under par, while Jason Scrivener is one over and Daniel Gale two over.
“I was not looking at the scores at all, but I knew it was not easy,” said Norgaard.
“We had a bit of wind today and I think it’s just because I was very, very present as I haven’t been before. I was just in every shot. This course really suits my eye.”
Lawrence’s rollercoaster round included nine birdies, a double bogey and two bogeys, with his final birdie coming from tap-in range following a stunning approach to the 18th.
Hatton cancelled out a bogey on the first with a birdie on the par-five third, but dropped shots on the sixth and ninth and had to scramble for a par on the famous 10th after pulling his drive into a bush.
Hatton, playing after appealing against the sanctions imposed on him for playing LIV Golf events without permission, pulled his drive on the 13th of bounds and ran up a triple-bogey seven.
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