ANTALYA, Turkey (AP) - Matthias Schwab extended his lead to three shots with a 6-under 66 in the third round of the Turkish Airlines Open on Saturday.
The 24-year-old Austrian has a tour-best nine top-10 finishes this season. He had led overnight by one stroke as he chases his first European Tour title.
For the second straight day, Schwab started with an eagle and also had six birdies and one double bogey.
“I got off to a really nice start on the first hole with the eagle that I made and then played solid golf all around except for that one little hiccup,” said Schwab, who has an 18-under 198 total. “The game plan is going to be the same as it’s been the last three days. The course is gettable and there are a lot of birdies out there, so I’ll just stay aggressive because pars won’t be enough.”
Patrick Reed shot his second straight 65 to join a group of five players in second place on 15 under at the Montgomerie Maxx Royal. The others are: England’s Ross Fisher (68) and Tyrrell Hatton (65), Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre (67), and France’s Benjamin Hebert (64).
“Any time you shoot 65, you’re happy. There’s a lot I left out there today,” Reed said.
Two-time defending champion Justin Rose shot a 1-over 73 and is nine strokes off the pace.
England’s Eddie Pepperell did not even finish his round and was disqualified for failing to complete the fourth hole, his 13th of the day.
Pepperell was 2 over for the round after dropping shots on the second and third and then hit his approach to the next into the water guarding the green. In a scene reminiscent of the “Tin Cup” film, Pepperell had several more attempts - even his caddie could not say for certain whether it was four or five - before informing playing partners Martin Kaymer and George Coetzee that he had run out of balls.
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