Sport
Uihlein keeps one-shot lead going into final round at DGC
‘It went straight in and we never saw it again’
November 30, 2024 | 12:38 AM
Peter Uihlein shot one-under 71 to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the $2.5mn International Series Qatar on Friday.The American is 13-under through three rounds at Doha Golf Club (DGC) while Zach Bauchou is solo second after a third-round two-under 70.Uihlein will have another crack at winning his second International Series title today after he took the third-round lead."It was hard. I’m pleased, I mean, I hit 16 greens so my two bogeys were on the greens that I missed. So other than that it was pretty steady. I don’t feel like I was really ever out of position, and yeah it was a tough day, I mean, really tough,” he said."You know, it blew all day yesterday, blew all night and morning, so it was only going to get crispier. So, the greens definitely felt like they had a little bit more bite to them today, and it was tough to get close.”Just over a month ago Uihlein was on the brink of winning the International Series Thailand but surprisingly surrendered a two-shot lead on the last to finish second behind Chinese-Taipei’s Lee Chieh-po. That occurred not long after he won the International Series England – his first on both the Asian Tour and The International Series.Bauchou returned a 70 and is three ahead of Italian Stefano Mazzoli, who aced the par-three 17th, for a 69 and GaganjeetBhullar from India, also in with a 69. Bauchou also finished well with birdies on 13, 16 and 18."No doubt it was a tough day,” said the American. "It was hardto get the ball close to the hole. There are only a couple of birdie-able holes out here with the par fives and 16 a driveable par-four but the rest of the course is hard to get it close."Need to just try and grind and make pars on those holes and when you get on a par five you try and make a birdie. I will just try and play the best I can and try and play pretty aggressively tomorrow. I will hit the driver on almost every hole out here.Mazzoli’s ace on 17 was the first of his career. He used a wedge and his ball went straight into the cup without touching the surface."It went straight in and we never saw it again,” said the Italian, who is in the running to win this year’s Asian Tour Rookie of the Year Award."Usually, you know it can bounce out and come back, but it was straight in and never moved out of the way. After a tough battle on the course today with the wind, I mean, I couldn’t ask for a better finish than this."I was already pleased with a birdie on 16 and, I mean, I never had a hole-in-one, so I wasn’t expecting that, for sure and then obviously I got a birdie also on 18,” he said. South African Louis Oosthuizen and Suteepat Prateeptienchai from Thailand are tied for fifth on eight under following rounds of 71 and 70 respectively.Uihlein began the day two ahead of Bauchou and that was the margin at the turn.He made birdie on the first but on another difficult, windy day with firm and fast greens, more birdies where hard to come by. He made bogeys on three and 14 before his fine finish.Uihlein is in the running to win The International Series Rankings with just one more event remaining, next week’s PIF Saudi International. He is currently in fourth place and could overtake the leader John Catlin from the United States with a win.
November 30, 2024 | 12:38 AM