Tough going as Broadhurst stays in front
Paul Broadhurst maintained his lead in the Portuguese Open but admits he struggled to hold things together today.
The 40-year-old chalked up five birdies and three bogeys for a 69 and an 11-under-par 133 for the tournament.
That leaves him two shots ahead of the Frenchman Christian Cavaer, with Sweden’s Christian Nilsson one further behind.
But Broadhurst said: “It felt like a visit to the dentist’s out there. It was tough.”
Broadhurst picked up shots at the second and fourth but then found the water at the fifth to bogey the hole.
“You have a feeling when you are not in control, and I did not feel in control, “ he said.
“But I persevered, and my short game got me out of trouble.”
Broadhurst had an eagle chance at the last but had to settle for a birdie.
He said: “I am delighted to get to 11 under and now I have just got to hang in there.
“You have got to hit it straight on this course – and if I do that then I have a chance.”
Jarmo Sandelin is on seven under – with Paul Lawrie, Gary Clark and Anthony Wall one behind the Swede.
Lawrie kept himself firmly in contention by reverting to the putting technique which helped him enter golf’s Hall of Fame.
The Scot decided to wind back the clock, after studying some old videos, and follow the format which saw him win the Open in 1999.
He said: “I am putting a lot better now, which makes a big difference.
“I have gone back to the old style, after watching some tapes over the last couple of weeks.
“I am putting a lot more weight on the left side, and that has brought an improvement.”
He had a mixed bag here, the highlight an eagle at the par-four third where he holed his wedge from 11 yards.
Lawrie said: “I had lots of birdies and bogeys – but six under is not bad on this course, because it’s a bit fiddly.
“I am playing well at the moment and starting to hit a little bit of form.”
Clark picked up six birdies in 13 holes, but a double-bogey five at the 16th saw him slip back to four under.
However, he completed his round in style by picking up a shot at the last two holes.
Clark said: “You have to hit it straight around here and find the fairways, which I did quite well today.
“I have had two bad swings in two rounds which have cost me double bogeys - but apart from that, it is going well.
“It is a nice position to be in for the weekend. When you are on form there is nothing better than being out here.”
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