2019 Czech Masters: Thomas Pieters hunts second title at Albatross

Belgium’s Thomas Pieters is eyeing up a second D+D Real Czech Masters title, as he holds a one-shot lead after the third round of action at Albatross Golf Resort.

Thomas Pieters, who was part of the 2016 European Ryder Cup team, shot his lowest round of the week on Saturday at the D+D Real Czech Masters. He carded a 66 which featured an eagle, six birdies and two bogeys to sit at -16.

The Belgian is looking to become the first golfer to win this event twice, having taken the crown in Prague in 2015. He came close a year later, but finished runner-up to American Paul Peterson.

The Belgian holds a one-shot lead going into the final round of this year’s event, but he is being chased by Spain’s Adri Arnaus, who for the second straight day, was the man to card the low round.

The Spaniard carded a 65 on the third day, matching his tally from Friday’s play. His effort on Saturday was bogey-free, including a run of four birdied in five holes around the turn at Albatross.

Halfway leader Edoardo Molinari followed up his first two rounds of 66 with a Saturday 70. He now sits two shots behind Pieters at -14. Chilean Hugo Leon and the Swedish pair of Rikard Karlberg and Robert Karlsson join the Italian in a tie for third, with the latter managing to make eagle on the longest hole on the European Tour, the 639-yard par-five 9th.

South Africa’s Erik van Rooyen and Norweigan Kristoffer Reitan are in a tie for 7th, and sit three shots back after the pair both carded rounds of 66 on Saturday afternoon.

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Scotland’s Liam Johnston shot his third consecutive round in the 60s. He has now gone 67 69 68 over the first three days at Albatross, and now sits in a group at -12.

He is joined by Austrian Matthias Schwab, Finland’s Mikko Korhonen and the English pair of Jack Singh Brar and Sam Horsfield.

Along with Arnaus, the only other man to shoot 65 on Saturday was Japan’s Masahiro Kawamura. He now sits in a tie for 14th along with South Africa’s J.C. Ritchie, with the pair five off the lead held by Pieters.

The other two previous winners of the tournament who made the cut this week are both currently sitting within the top 25.

Italian Andrea Pavan, who also won this year’s BMW International, sits at -9, while South Africa’s Haydn Porteous is a further shot back, and in the group tied for 23rd.

First round leader Gavin Green recovered slightly after his 75 on Friday. The Malaysian shot 70 on Saturday to move back up to -7, and he is now in a tie for 30th.

With the disqualification of South Korea’s Soomin Lee, after his caddie failed to remove the flagstick after he had asked for the flag to be attended whilst he was putting, the field is cut down to 70 for the final day.

Dane Jeff Winther and Englishman Matthew Nixon will go out first at 07:46, with the leading pair of Thomas Pieters and Adri Arnaus teeing off their final rounds at 13:15 local time.

2019 Czech Masters Leaderboard:

1 (-16): Thomas Pieters (BEL)

2 (-15) Adri Arnaus (ESP)

T3 (-14): Edoardo Molinari (ITA), Robert Karlsson (SWE), Rikard Karlberg (SWE), Hugo Leon (CHL)

T7 (-13): Erik van Rooyen (RSA), Kristoffer Reitan (NOR)

T9 (-12): Matthias Schwan (AUT), Liam Johnston (SCO), Sam Horsfield (ENG), Mikko Korhonen (FIN), Jack Singh Brar (ENG)

T14 (-11): J.C. Ritchie (RSA), Masahiro Kawamura (JPN)

16 (-10): Daniel Gavins (ENG)

Selected Others:

T17 (-9): Andrea Pavan (ITA)

T23 (-8): Haydn Porteous (RSA)

T30 (-7): Gavin Green (MAS)

T39 (-6): Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL), Thomas Bjorn (DEN)

T50 (-5): Zander Lombard (RSA)

T67 (-2): Padraig Harrington (IRL)