DUBAI: Stephen Gallacher fired two eagles on the back nine in a remarkable bogey-free round of 10-under par 62 to take a three-shot lead into the final day of the $2.5m Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
Gallacher, nephew of the former European Ryder Cup captain Bernard, rattled the pin with his second shot on the par-5 13th and then holed his bunker shot on the 18th from 30 yards.
That, along with six other birdies, helped him reach 21-under par 195 after three rounds.
The 195 total of the 38-year-old Scotsman was one better than the tournament record of 20-under par set by Tiger Woods during his first visit to the UAE in 2001.
The lowest winning total in the tournament is 22-under par by Thomas Bjorn that same year.
South Africa’s Richard Sterne, leader after the first two days at 12-under par, added a solid third round of six-under par 66.
Two shots behind Sterne’s 198 was rising Danish star Thorbjorn Olesen (67), while Chile’s Felipe Aguilar (66) and India’s Jeev Milkha Singh (67) were tied for the fourth place at 14-under par 202.World No8 Lee Westwood made a charge with a 66 that moved him to ninth place at 204, nine shots behind the leader.
AFP
