Lee Westwood is on the verge of history with a 25th European Tour victory on the table if he can win the 2020 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

LEE Westwood takes a one-shot lead into the final round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship as he goes in search of a second Rolex Series title – and his 25th European Tour title.

The “Worksop Wonder,” who now lives in Newcastle’s Jesmond district, produced the shot of the week so far – to set up an eagle on the par-five eighth in a round of 65 that moved him to 14-under par.

That total was a shot clear of Italian Francesco Laporta and Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger, who claimed two Rolex Series titles in 2019.

The 34-year-old would become the first to win three different Rolex events if he can get to the top of the leader board at the end of Sunday’s fourth round in the United Arab Emirates.

Westwood ended a four-year hunt for a European Tour title with an emotional victory at the 2018 Nedbank Golf Challenge.

And the former World No. 1 would take his tally to a remarkable 25 wins across four different decades with a triumph at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, on Sunday.

Westwood said: “I played well. I holed a couple of putts early on which gave me some momentum and then hit a brilliant shot into eight, the par five – with a hybrid – 266 yards to about three feet.

“I then backed it up with a birdie at nine, so a bit of momentum, got on a roll. Had birdie chances on the back nine.

“A bit unlucky on 14, birdied 16 which is not the easiest hole on the course, and a nice birdie at the last.

Westwood, a veteran of 10 Ryder Cup appearances since his debut in Seve Ballesteros’ European-winning team at Valderrama in 1997, revealed he has not been taking it totally easy while resting over the short winter break.

“I’m working on a couple of things on my swing and if I don’t quite get it right I get a bit of pull and I pulled the second shot into 11,” revealed Westwood, who has traditionally always been taught by his dad.

“I didn’t play the best chip, I could to have got it close, but made a nice 15 -footer. They are the kind of putts you need to hole.

“Feel a bit uncomfortable on the greens at the moment. I’ve gone to the claw or pencil grip. I’m hitting a lot of putts where I’m intending to.

“Pretty good at reading these greens and I’m starting on the lines I want.

“Pretty excited. It’s always a bonus to be in contention, and that’s basically why we come out here.

“I’m not going to lie. I didn’t play a lot of golf coming into it – didn’t know what to expect.

“To be in the lead with one round to go or could be tied for the lead when the other lads finish, it’s a real positive.”

Meanwhile, Wiesberger finished with three birdies in a 65 of his own, while Laporta followed up his second round 63 with a 69 to join him at 13 -under.

“Very pleased with today’s work. Obviously at the end it was a little bit wayward at the last, said Wiesberger.

“But glad to hole a nice putt on the last green to come home in 65, and it was quite good.

“I drove it really nicely all day – long and straight, which always helps and I was quite comfortable with my irons, getting it dialled in.

“Unfortunately left a few putts out there on the back nine, but all-in-all, I was able to pick up some longer ones on the last few holes.

“Very pleased with today’s results, added Wiesberger, who won the Scottish and Italian Opens in 2019, and is expected to make his Ryder Cup debut for Padraig Harrington’s European team at Whistling Straits, in September.

“I just feel quite comfortable. Sometimes with me if I get a good tempo, I like putting on these greens, and I feel like I have a good understanding of the pace of the green.

“You know, if you’re confident on the greens, you can make a few out here, but if you’re just off the green, it makes it a bit more frustrating,” added Wiesberger,

“So far, it’s been good on the greens and hopefully continue that into tomorrow,” said Wiesberger, who had to recover from wrist surgery before leading the Race to Dubai going into the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, in November.

The Vienna pro eventually finished third on the Order of Merit behind winner Jon Rahm and runner-up Tommy Fleetwood, who could well be his Ryder Cup team-mates in eight months’ time.

Step-up in class for Rolex Series gave Challenge Tour No. 1 nerves

LAPORTA, who was the winner of the 2019 Race to Mallorca on the Challenge Tour, admitted the step up in class had brought some nerves in his third round having lead after 36 holes.

“I was a bit nervous on the first tee box,” said Laporta who won twice in 2019, including the Challenge Tour Grand Final at Mallorca’s Club de Golf Alcanada.

“Made a bad mistake on two, I was trying to hit it in the middle of the fairway for the second shot and pulled it, so I made a bogey there.

“Then I started to play some good golf and made one birdie coming out, so the front nine wasn’t bad and I played solid on the back nine.

“It would be just a dream,” Laporta admitted about the chances of winning his maiden European Tour victory so early in the new season.

“I just want to think about my score and my game,” the Frenchman added.

“Trying not to see the leaderboard – it’s not going to be easy. There’s going to be leaderboards everywhere. I think it’s going to be a good day tomorrow.”

Sheffield’s Matthew Fitzpatrick is in fourth place in the United Arab Emirates at 12-under – one-shot clear of 2017 Masters Champion Sergio Garcia and American Kurt Kitayama, who is looking for a third win after picking up two early in last year’s rookie season.

Fitzpatrick and Garcia have yet to win a Rolex Series event since their introduction in 2017 in an event to boost prize money, and keep Europe’s top stars playing on this side of the Atlantic as much as possible.

Belgian Thomas Detry and Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bello are at 10-under, with Surrey’s Ross Fisher and Lancashire’s Jack Senior a shot back alongside South Africans Zander Lombard and Louis Oosthuizen and Germany’s Sebastian Heisele.

Only Cabrera-Bello has won a Rolex Series event in that chasing pack.

The Spaniard beat Hertfordshire’s Callum Shinkwin in a play-off, at the 2017 Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, at Dundonald.

•For live scoring in Sunday’s fourth round click here.

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Tommy Fleetwood’s victory in a play-off at the Nedbank Golf Challenge earned the biggest prize so far in European Tour history – a cheque for $2.5million. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

TOMMY Fleetwood defeated Marcus Kinhult in a thrilling play-off to win his second Rolex Series title at the Nedbank Golf Challenge after coming from six shots after three eagles in his final round at Sun City.

Victory put the hero of Europe’s record Ryder Cup win at Le Paris National last year, in contention to top the Race to Dubai Rankings for the second time in three years after earning the biggest prize cheque so far in the European Tour’s history.

Fleetwood, who joined the illustrious list of Rolex Series winners at the 2017 Open de France, started the final round at the Gary Player Country Club in 12th spot.

But the Lancastrian flew up the leaderboard after three birdies and the first of an incredible three eagles before the turn.

He then eagled the 10th and the 14th – recovering from dropped shots on the 12th and 13th holes.

A final birdie of the day on the 15th saw him sign for a 12-under total leaving an agonising wait to see if his total could be matched or bettered by the leaders.

Sweden’s Kinhult started three strokes behind overnight leader Zander Lombard, and made a crucial birdie on the 15th to join Fleetwood on 12 under.

That set up a play-off for the S$2.5million first prize as neither Lombard or home favourite Louis Oosthuizen, who had led the tournament between them for three days, could sustain a title charge.

On the first extra hole, Kinhult had to play out sideways after a poor tee shot, eventually settling for bogey.

Meanwhile Fleetwood made an excellent up-and-down to save par and tapped in from three feet for the biggest winner’s prize in European Tour history.

Fleetwood made it five career wins in total, and said: “It feels good, emotional. It has been a long time coming, and I’m not one to complain.

“But I really did want to win something. You know, it’s the best. Winning is just such a good feeling.

“You know everybody puts a lot of hard work in week-in, week-out and you wait for your time to come.

“I’ve probably been impatient most of the time. But I feel happy and lucky that it’s been my time this week.

Fleetwood agreed it had been one of the best rounds of his career, adding: “I would have liked to keep a couple bogeys off the card.

“But I like the way I played, the way I hit it, felt like the way I putted, the way I handled myself emotionally, staying in the present.

“And then the play-off, bit of luck with the tee shot, chip shot probably a bit lucky and holed the putt, but it all goes together with just such an amazing day.

“It’s such a great, great thing and a feeling to be playing with a chance to win the Race to Dubai in the last event.

“Everybody starts the Tour at the start of the season to get there, and be one of the guys that can actually finish at the top is very special.”

Kinhult, who won for the first time at the Betfred British Masters at Hillside, in May, said: “I’m proud. Shot a good score today.

“Got into the play-off and made a silly bogey, but I’m happy with the week and how I played. It’s a good week.

“Losing is not all fun but Tommy deserved that. Great up-and-down. Great champion,” added the Swede, who is not starting to fulfil the promise that had him tipped for the top as an amateur.

A year ago, Kinhult finished in last place on his debut at the Nedbank.

Kinhult added: “It’s quite an improvement. I look forward to coming back next year and seeing if we can do better.

“I’m happy this week, especially how last year turned out with that last place finish. I think we’re learning every time we come here.”

The win moves Fleetwood to second place on the Race to Dubai in his bid to be named European No. 1 for the second time, following his 2017 triumph,  at next week’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, when the first prize will create a new record for a second week running.

Current leader – Austrian Bernd Wiesberger – finished in a share of third place alongside Belgium’s Thomas Detry and Australian Jason Scrivener, who both moved inside the top 50 on the Race to Dubai, securing their places at Jumeirah Golf Estates this week.

Defending champion Lee Westwood and home favourite Louis Oosthuizen shared sixth, while Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre took the lead again in the race for the Rookie of the Year title, finishing in eighth place alongside Lombard.

•For final results and prize money at the Nedbank Golf Challnege click here.

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Zander Lombard has won €1.2m so far in his European Tour career – he leads the €2.5m Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City with 36 holes to play. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

ZANDER Lombard continued his recent run of fine form to take a two shot-lead into the weekend at South Africa’s Nedbank Golf Challenge.

The South African, who topped last season’s Sunshine Tour Order of Merit, carded a round of 65 to get to 11-under par.

Lombard, who came closest to his breakthrough win losing a play-off in the Rocca Forte Open, in Sicily two years ago, said: “Playing with two legends of the game, it was nervy.

“But I settled down quickly with a birdie on the second and it was just all really good vibes from there. I played really well.

“The crowds were at their max and all into it. They were cheering and they were fantastic,” said Lombard, who did win the European Tour Qualifying School, at Lumine, in Spain, a year ago today.

“They were cheering for Ernie and Lee at the start, but I won them over at the end, so it was awesome.

Lombard, who lost in the final of the 2014 Amateur Championship at Royal Portrush, in 2015, is aware of the life-changing sums on offer to the winner at Sun City’s Gary Player Country Club.

“It’s a huge opportunity, and just need to keep myself calm and do the same on the weekend,” said 24-year-old Zander, who has won €1.2million in 95 European Tour events so far in his career.

“I’ve got a great team behind me and the processes are in place. I’m going to stick to my processes.

“It sounds cliché, but it’s as simple as that and we’ll see where it puts me at the end of the week,” said Lombard, who did win one of the Sunshine Tour’s Vodacom Origins Pro-Ams in 2018.

Compatriot Louis Oosthuizen – the 2010 Open Champion – got to nine-under, alongside Belgian Thomas Detry to trail Lombard in the seventh Rolex Series tournament of the season – the penultimate event of the 2019 Race to Dubai.

All three were in a tie for the lead after Lombard – who was playing alongside defending champion Lee Westwood and South African legend Ernie Els – went eagle-birdie after the turn.

But the 2014 Amateur Championship finalist’s rivals started heading in the wrong direction as he hit the front.

Overnight leader Oosthuizen – who was unsure if he would tee off on Thursday after suffering from kidney stones in the 24 hours before he was due to start – dropped shots on the 14^th and 15^th.

Oosthuizen, who had been in hospital seeking treatment on Wednesday, said: “I was fine starting. The last six holes got me a bit.

“The tee shot on 14 – I felt it in the right lower with the pain. I think the next two holes, I was thinking of that and didn’t really focus on what I had to do.

“Then on 16 again, I got my focus back and played nicely coming in. Pretty fatigued. Just need to rest for tomorrow.”

Meanwhile Detry double-bogeyed the 17^th after finding water from the tee and missing it with his third by the width of a post.

“It’s a tough course, anything can happen. Played some really good golf. On 17, it could have been a high number there.”

The Belgian, who is looking for his first European Tour victory in an event with a $2.5million winner’s prize, dropped another shot on the last.

“I limited the damage with a double-bogey and got a bit unlucky on 18,” said Detry.

“I hit a great drive, 300 metres down the middle. But it’s golf and just move on and see tomorrow.

“The putter seems to be working. Whole swing seems to be working as well,” added Detry, who has trod a similar path to Thomas Pieters after going to the same American University before turning pro.

Detry said: “Anything can happen on the weekend. A few guys are ahead of me, a few guys behind me. I think it’s going to be a fun battle.”

The 2017 Race to Dubai Champion Tommy Fleetwood and Swede Marcus Kinhult are in a share of fourth place at six-under par.

Fleetwood, who has not won since Abu Dhabi in January 2018, said: “It’s a tough golf course, and you’re always not that bad of a golf shot away from being stuck in trouble.

“You’ve just got to stay on it,” said the hero of Europe’s Ryder Cup win over the USA at Le Paris National in September 2018.

“Generally I feel like I can do well. I love this place. I love the week. I think it’s got a great atmosphere to it.

“I like teeing off on this golf course. I feel like there’s a lot of holes where you have to just make sure you free yourself up,” added Fleetwood.

Aaron Rai, from the West Midlands, Australian Jason Scrivener and Denmark’s Joachim B Hansen are a further shot back.

The current Race to Dubai leader – Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger – is among a group of seven players at four-under.

•For live scoring in the third round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge, click here.

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Louis Oosthuizen left. his sick bed to shoot a nine-under par at Sun City’s Gary Player Country Club, to lead the Nedbank Golf Challenge. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

LOUIS Oosthuizen carded a stunning bogey-free round of 63 to lead the Nedbank the Golf Challenge – just hours after seeking hospital treatment for kidney stones that forced him to miss the pro-am on Wednesday.

Oosthuizen was not even sure he would be able to play at all just hours before his tee time at Sun City.

The 2010 Open Championship winner opened up a three-shot lead after shooting nine-under par in his first round, in the seventh Rolex Series event on the 2019 Race to Dubai.

Oosthuizen said: “Considering that at 3am this morning, I didn’t think I was doing going to tee it up, I’m very chuffed with that round.

“I woke yesterday with kidney stones and this morning was very uncomfortable.

“But it sort of eased at 6, 7am. You could see me walking slower and just going at everything a little slower out there.

“But I know I played good at the WGC-HSBC Champions two weeks ago and I know the swing is there – the putting’s there. I just need to be healthy to play.

“I just love this golf course. One of my first wins on the Sunshine Tour was here, the Dimension Data, and every time I play here, it brings back a lot of good memories.”

The South African has claimed five of his nine European Tour wins on home soil – but has yet to lift the trophy at the event they call “Africa’s Major”

Oosthuizen does have three top tens in his last four appearances at the Gary Player Country Club – South Africa’s most famous play is hosting the Nedbank again.

Oousthuizen’s victory earlier this season at Johannesburg’s South African Open fulfilled a long-held ambition to win his national championship.

And he now has the perfect platform to launch a challenge for a first Rolex Series win.

Belgian Thomas Detry is Oosthuizen’s nearest challenger at six-under, one shot ahead of Italy’s Guido Migliozzi, who is in contention for the Rookie of the Year crown after recording two wins in his debut season.

Detry, who is still looking for a maiden solo win on the European Tour, said: “I had it going pretty quickly. I have got good vibes out here.

“I played pretty well here last year. Not quite as good as Louis today, but pretty happy,” said Detry, who won the ISPS Handa World Cup of Golf with former University of Illinois team-mate Thomas Pieters, last year.

“I’ve been playing really, really well recently. You know, again last week, I was 11-under after two rounds and didn’t play quite as good on the weekend,” added Detry.

“But I’m very comfortable with my game, and if I can keep the putter hot for four days, then something might happen.”

Migliozzi, who won the Magical Kenya Open back in March, said: “I played solid tee-to-green and really happy about my game.

“It’s been a good round. I started very good, six-under par for the front nine,” said the Italian, who also won the Belgian Knockout in June.

“Rookie of the Year is something I would like to get. The competitors are really good, but let’s see what this week and the next one will bring, too.”

Defending champion Lee Westwood has never won a European Tour title back to back, although he has successfully defended three of his 43 titles won around the world – including the Nebank eight years ago when it was a limited field event.

Westwood, who is now 46, said: “You can’t win this tournament on the first day. Anything under 70 always feels like a great start to this tournament.

“I played well. Controlled the ball flight. Could have hit a few more fairways. Would have made it a little easier. I was in the rough too ofte –, but no bogeys and 68 was a great start.”

Three-time winner Ernie Els and another home favourite in Zander Lombard joined Westwood on four-under.

Meanwhile 2017 Race to Dubai winner Tommy Fleetwood and South African pair George Coetzee and Richard Sterne are among a group of 10 players at three-under.

•For live scoring from the Nedbank Golf Challenge City click here.

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Lee Westwood’s win in Portugal came 10 years ago and he will be joined at Dom Pedro Victoria, in Vilamoura, by fellow past champions Andy Sullivan and Tom Lewis.
Picture by GETTY IMAGES

FORMER World No. 1 Lee Westwood and fellow past champion Andy Sullivan will tee it up alongside compatriot Eddie Pepperell at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course when the Portugal Masters returns to Vilamoura this week.

Westwood, who hails from Worksop, will be making his first appearance at the event since winning what was his 30^th professional title 10 years ago.

Meanwhile Sullivan, from Nuneaton, secured his third European Tour victory at Dom Pedro Victoria, in 2015, when he finished nine strokes clear of the chasing pack.

In 2009, Westwood ended a two-year wait for a European Tour victory as he finished two strokes ahead of Francesco Molinari after carding his third six-under par round of the tournament to post a 23-under total.

The win sparked a rich vein of form which saw him win the Race to Dubai that same season and then become the first Englishman since Nick Faldo in 1994 to become World No. 1 the following year.

“I have some happy memories of Dom Pedro Victoria after winning there in 2009,” said Westwood, who had 26 top-10 finishes between his 2007 British Masters title and his Portugal Masters victory.

“There had been a few close calls between those two wins, so I was really pleased to get over the line in Portugal.

“A lot of players talk about how this tournament has gone from strength-to -strength over the last few years.

“I’m looking forward to coming back and seeing how the tournament has grown. It also gives me a great opportunity to tune-up ahead of my defence of the Nedbank Golf Challenge, so I’m excited for the week.”

Sullivan, who was a teammate of Westwood’s at the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine, was denied back-to-back Portugal Masters titles three years ago when he finished just one stroke behind champion Padraig Harrington.

“The Portugal Masters is an event I always look for when the schedule is released,” said Sullivan. “It’s a great event and it’s always nice to return to a course where you’ve won before.

“I always bring my family to the event as they love it as much as I do – and it never hurts to have some extra support while competing.

“This tournament gives us an opportunity to start building some momentum ahead of the final three events of the year.”

Sullivan added: “I really want to end the season strongly and this event provides the platform for that.”

Two-time European Tour winner Eddie Pepperell has also confirmed he will return to Dom Pedro Victoria later this month as the Frilford Heath member looks to maintain his position inside the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking.

The trio will join Europe’s 2018 Ryder Cup Captain Thomas Bjørn in the field, as well as defending champion Tom Lewis, from Hertfordshire, and Essex history-maker Oliver Fisher, who carded the European Tour’s first 59 at last year’s tournament.

•Tickets for the Portugal Masters (October 24-27) are available from €8 for juniors (ages 12-17), €17 for concessions and €20 for adults. Season tickets are available for €24 for juniors, €50 for concessions and €60 for adults. To purchase tickets, click here.

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Branden Grace will compete for a first prize which has increased by $1m to $2.5m at next month’s Nedbank Challenge at Sun City. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

HOME-favourite Branden Grace is excited to tee it up in the Nedbank Golf Challenge hosted by Gary Player as Sun City and Gary Player Country Club celebrate their 40th anniversary, from November 14-17.

The South African delighted the home crowds with his eighth European Tour victory two years ago, finishing one stroke ahead of Scott Jamieson.

Grace will be seeking a fourth victory on home soil this November – adding to his 2012 Joburg Open and 2015 Alfred Dunhill Championship victories when Sun City stages the seventh Rolex Series event on the 2019 Race to Dubai.

Set to tee it up in Africa’s Major for the sixth time, Grace can’t wait to return home to play golf for the final time in the 2019 season.

“Sun City and Gary Player Country Club is such an iconic venue for South African golfers,” said Grace, who became the first native golfer to win the Nedbank Golf Challenge since Trevor Immelman 10 years earlier.

“This is an event steeped in history, and to win two years ago was very special.

“I have a lot of happy memories from playing there – it’s a demanding, but fair test.

“The work the team did in constructing and maintaining the golf course all those years ago is astonishing, and it is certainly one of the best courses we play all year.

“I can’t wait to play in front of a home crowd again and I’m hoping for another good week as we celebrate the venue’s 40th anniversary.”

Tournament host Gary Player said: “It’s wonderful to have Branden back at Sun City. Who can forget his 50-foot putt on the 16th hole in the final round in 2017 which was in my opinion his finest moment of that final round.

“It gave him a one-stroke lead and he carried it on to his first Rolex Series victory. There was immense pressure to end a decade-long drought of South African winners and Branden responded like a true champion.”

Nedbank Group chief executive Mike Brown said: “Former champions are an integral part of the history of the Nedbank Golf Challenge and they add tremendously to the quality of the field.

“We’re delighted to have Branden back with us as our last South African winner of ‘Africa’s Major’.”

Sun International chief executive Anthony Leeming said: “To have our last two champions competing again this year – Nottinghamshire’s Lee Westwood and Branden Grace – is another wonderful endorsement of the quality of our field.

“Branden’s victory in 2017 was the first by a South African since Trevor Immelman in 2007.

“In what is such a significant year for Sun City and the Gary Player Country Club and our 40th celebrations, we’re delighted to have the last South African winner in our field again.”

Grace joins compatriot and Major winner Louis Oosthuizen in a field which also includes Europe’s 2020 Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington and Ryder Cup stars Tommy Fleetwood and Lee Westwood – the latter returns to defend his first Rolex Series title.

Westwood’s three-stroke victory over Sergio Garcia last year saw him become the first European golfer to win the Nedbank Golf Challenge three times, following his victories in 2010 and 2011.

The Nedbank Golf Challenge will enhance its status as one of world golf’s elite tournaments this season with an increase in both the first place prize money and Race to Dubai points.

The winner of the 2019 Nedbank Golf Challenge will take home $2.5million, a big increase on the $1.25million won by Westwood last year.

The overall prize fund remains at $7.5million, with the balance of the 63-player field from second place onwards playing for a $5million prize fund.

This year’s tournament also offers an increased haul of Race to Dubai points from 7,500 to 10,000, which places it above what the World Golf Championships tournaments offer.

•General access tickets and luxury return shuttles for the Nedbank Golf Challenge hosted by Gary Player can be bought by clicking here.

If you are looking for an unforgettable experience, Circa has once again put together hospitality packages for the event, which can be purchased by clikcing here.

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