Half-way leader Richie Ramsay got off to a nightmare start at the Omega European Masters in Switzerland yesterday, with three bogeys in the first four holes.
However, the Scot, who won the event in 2012, battled back to record a level-par 70, and finish the day tied fifth on 12 under, four shots off the lead, held by Graeme Storm.
The Englishman shot a third round 64 and in the process won a sports car worth about £100,000 for a hole-in-one after holing out with a 6-iron on the 11th to take a one-shot lead over fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood.
Storm has won just £61,000 on the European Tour this season to lie a lowly 159th on the Race to Dubai. "To win something like that is marvellous," Storm said. "I have not got a car at the moment so it's not a bad start is it? I can't afford one at the moment, I have played that bad this year I've had to give it back."
Earlier in the day, Ireland's Peter Lawrie had threatened to record the first 59 on the European Tour before being forced to settle for a round of 62. Lawrie carded nine birdies in his first 14 holes, meaning he needed to find two more in the last four holes to break the magical 60 barrier on the par-70 layout. However, the 40-year-old Dubliner was unable to take advantage of the par-5 15th and then bogeyed the short 16th to see his chance of creating history disappear.
Lee Slattery then threatened the magic number when he played his first 10 holes in seven under, only to find water off the tee and three-putt the 13th for a triple-bogey six on his way to a 65.
o The in-form Colin Montgomerie is joint second at the Russian Open Golf Championship (Senior) in Moscow as he goes into the last day. The Scot, who scored 68 to be tied with Miguel Angel Martin, will be chasing American Tim Thelen who finished the day with a seven-under-par 65 for a 135 total, two shots in front.
o Phil Mickelson will miss the FedEx Cup play-offs finale for the first time in his career after withdrawing from the BMW Championship in Denver after the second round. A six-over-par 76 left Mickelson 14 shots off the lead and tied for 63rd in the 69-man field. "My primary goal is to rest and prepare for the Ryder Cup," Mickelson said.
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