Broadhurst breezes into contention
Paul Broadhurst produced the round of the day amid the blustery conditions in Doha but Henrik Stenson hung on to his one-shot lead after round three of the Commercialbank Qatar Masters.
The 40-year-old Atherstone man used all his experience as the winds swirled around an already testing course to shoot a five-under-par 67, move into joint-second place with Niclas Fasth and leave himself in prime position to attack tomorrow.
He said: “I played okay on the first day and settled in and played more solidly on Friday. Apart from a couple of shots, I played nicely today.
“I said before I went out that I’d take two under so I’m in contention. I shoot another 67, I might have a chance.”
Going out at 10 under Stenson was able to ease clear of the chasing pack with two birdies at the fifth and sixth, before taking four at the par-three eighth.
The Swede could have been vulnerable at this point had his overnight challengers been in touch but both Ricardo Gonzalez, of Argentina, and Englishman Nick Dougherty came unstuck early on.
Gonzalez recovered from a dropping three shots in two holes to card a 72 and remain in the hunt at nine under, but Dougherty’s front nine proved calamitous.
A bogey at the third was compounded by a triple bogey at the fifth, before bad turned to worse with another dropped shot at the 10th.
It was to the Merseysider’s credit he hit back, notching birdies at 12, 14 and 16 to salvage something from his round of 73 and lie seven under overnight.
Stenson birdied the 15th but then bogeyed the last to give him his slender overnight cushion over Broadhurst and compatriot Fasth.
The latter’s 68 may have pulled him into contention, but he will rue the mistakes at the third, 10th and 17th where he dropped shots.
Richard Finch kept in touch with the leaders, although, like Fasth’s, his round demonstrated the difficult nature of the conditions.
Three bogeys and four birdies gave the Englishman a 71 to move to nine under overnight, level with Gonzalez.
Paul McGinley’s pair of birdies at the 16th and 17th meant the Irishman joined a four-strong group at seven under.
Damien McGrane finished on -4 today, while Peter Lawrie was three shots back on -1.
Darren Clarke finished on +1.
The leaderboard is notable for the absence of the tournament’s two biggest draws – Vijay Singh and Ernie Els.
World number two Singh was determined to get to the root of his putting problems after round one, but two days on he seems no closer to resolving the issue.
He had bemoaned missing chances to convert pars into birdies all week and his 73 saw him make just two birdies and drop shots at the sixth, 14th and the 17th.
South African Els’ round was looking equally underwhelming until two birdies in his last three holes gave him a three-under 69 and five under for the tournament.
