Dougherty contends with winds to share lead
Nick Dougherty hauled himself into contention for his second win of the season in the windswept third round of the Wales Open today.
Dougherty fired a superb 65, the joint lowest round of the day so far, to claim a share of the clubhouse lead at Celtic Manor alongside Australia’s Terry Price.
At five under par the duo were just three off the lead now held by Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez as the players struggled to cope with the blustery wind over the short but testing Roman Road course.
Unknown Italian Alessandro Tadini began the round with a two-shot lead on 11 under but bogeyed the first, double-bogeyed the third and three-putted the eighth and ninth to drop back to seven under.
Playing partner David Lynn also went to the turn in 39 to fall off the pace, leaving Jimenez to head the chase for the £250,000 first prize.
The Ryder Cup star recovered from bogeys at the first and second with a birdie on the third and, after another dropped shot on the fifth, chipped in for birdie on the par three eighth and holed from 15ft for another on the next.
At eight under par Jimenez was one ahead of playing partner Jean-Francois Lucquin and Tadini.
Dougherty, who claimed his maiden European Tour title in Singapore earlier this year, fired three birdies and an eagle and was delighted to drop just one shot in the tough conditions.
“Overall four under for the round is a great score,” said the 23-year-old Liverpudlian.
“I have certainly moved up already and as long as the weather stays close to what it is at the moment I cannot see myself going backwards.
“As long as I am within three shots or so who knows? It would be a great one to win from being one under after two rounds.”
On the conditions, the former Walker Cup star added: “When the squalls come in the wind really gets up. The 16th was downwind and playing quite short and I hit a driver and six iron to the back of the green to set up an eagle.
“But on the 17th a squall came in and with the rain it played so long. There are not many par fours I can’t reach in two but I had no chance there, even hitting two drivers.
“There was 100-yard difference between the drives on those holes – 330 yards on the 16th and 232 up the 17th.”
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