Kearney six back in Munich as Maguire eyes Solheim points in PGA final round
Ireland's Niall Kearney on the fifth hole during Saturday's third round of the BMW International Open in Munich. Pic: Andrew Redington, Getty Images
Ireland's Niall Kearney stalled as Norwegian Ryder Cup hopeful Viktor Hovland carded a brilliant bogey-free 64 on day three of the BMW International Open to take a three-shot lead into the final round in Munich.
Royal Dublin's Kearney had started the day at the top of the leaderboard but a level-par 72 left him six shots off the lead alongside Austrian Bernd Wiesberger, with England's Andy Sullivan at 10 under.
“It felt like I played pretty well,” said Kearney, "(but) towards the end, it became a bit of a scrap. On a couple of the par fives, I felt like I hit decent tee shots but it was just about six or eight inches into the heavy stuff so couldn’t have a go at it.
“I felt as though I was hitting it into 20, 25 feet most of the day, which took birdies out of the equation. I was hitting it solid enough to hit two or three under par but ended up level par.”
Hovland, the world number 14 is currently heading to Whistling Straits by virtue of his international performances but a maiden European Tour victory on Sunday could further cement his place as part of Padraig Harrington's European team.
He would also become the first-ever Norwegian winner on the European Tour, having already secured that honour in the United States with two victories on the PGA Tour.
His eight birdies on day three in Germany moved him to 17 under and gave him a commanding advantage over Spaniard Jorge Campillo, but the 23-year-old was refusing to get carried away.
"I just try to stay within myself," he said. "Obviously I look at leaderboards to see where I'm at, but instead of trying to force things, I just tell myself at the start of the day just to take control of my own game.
"If I don't waste shots here and there, just play smart, trust that I'm doing the right things, I think I should have a really good shot tomorrow."
He added: "Growing up I mainly watched the European Tour every Saturday and Sunday morning. That was my routine. We've had some runner-up finishes in the past but yes it would be really cool for Norway to get our first win."
A wonderful approach to the first and an up-and-down on the sixth had Hovland in a share of the lead but he had to also take advantage of the par-five ninth and 11th to keep pace with South African Darren Fichardt, who carded a 65 to set the target at 13 under.
He then hit smart approaches into the 13th and 14th, drove the green at the par-four 16th and got up and down for birdie on the par-five last to take control.
Campillo turned in level par but made gains on the 11th, 12th, 14th, 16th and 18th to cling to the coattails of his playing partner.
Meanwhile at the LPGA's KPMG Women’s PGA, Leona Maguire battled to a one-under 71 to go into the final round three shots outside the top-10.
The 26-year-old is tied 17th in three-under-par at Atlanta Athletic Club and while she’s 12 strokes behind runaway leaders Nelly Korda and Lizette Salas, she knows she can still claim walk away with a fistful of vital points as she looks to make Catriona Matthew’s European Solheim Cup side.
“I felt like I played really nice,” said the world No 63 who birdied the par-five fourth and 12th holes before rebounding from a double-bogey six at the 13th with a birdie two at the 17th," reported.
“I got off to a nice start, was solid on the front nine and was one-under heading out. I thought the course was set up a bit tougher today. It was always going to be tougher after everyone went so low yesterday. So I stayed really patient, made some really nice pars on the front and had a little hiccup on 13, but I felt like I bounced back really nicely and had a really good birdie on 17 to get under par and finish there for the day."
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