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Turkish Airlines Open: Matthias Schwab opens up lead heading into finale

By Matt Coles

ANTALYA, TURKEY - NOVEMBER 09: Matthias Schwab of Austria plays his second shot into the 18th green during the third round of the Turkish Airlines Open at The Montgomerie Maxx Royal on November 09, 2019 in Antalya, Turkey. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
ANTALYA, TURKEY - NOVEMBER 09: Matthias Schwab of Austria plays his second shot into the 18th green during the third round of the Turkish Airlines Open at The Montgomerie Maxx Royal on November 09, 2019 in Antalya, Turkey. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images) /
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Austria’s Matthias Schwab has extended his lead at the top of the Turkish Airlines Open leaderboard after a third successive sub-68 round.

Matthias Schwab is on the hunt for his maiden European Tour victory at the Turkish Airlines Open, and he is now -18, with a lead of three with just 18 holes to go at the Montgomerie Maxx Royal in Antalya.

The Austrian carded a 66 on Saturday, despite a double bogey 6 at the par-4 12th. An eagle at the first cancelled that out, with six other birdies adding to his overnight lead of one.

If Schwab was to win on Sunday evening in Turkey, he would secure his first win with a wire-to-wire victory, the most convincing way to do so.

He currently sits three shots clear of five men in a tie for second. They include Frenchman Benjamin Hebert, the runner up at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, who carded the best round of the day, a 64.

The English duo of Ross Fisher and Tyrrell Hatton are also in that group at -15. Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre and American Patrick Reed are also three back from the leader.

The second Scottish man in the top ten is Scott Jamieson, who sits a further two shots back from his compatriot after a third straight round in the 60s. 2019 European Tour winners Erik van Rooyen and Victor Perez are also five back at -13.

Kurt Kitayam is among the group in a tie for 10th, as he aims to move inside the top ten on the Race to Dubai list. Lee Westwood, Justin hardin, Fabrizio Zanotti and Joachim Hansen sit alongside the American.

It was a bad day on Saturday for the likes of Thomas Detry and Alex Noren, who both dropped away from the top five, after shooting 73 and 74, respectively. The Belgian is now in a tie for 17th, while the Ryder Cup star now sits at T25.

Defending two-time champion Justin Rose also suffered on Saturday, shooting a 73 to drop him down into that group with Noren at -9, alongside the likes of Danny Willett, Thomas Pieters and Francesco Molinari.

Back at the top, can Matthias Schwab retain his lead through to the end and record his first ever victory on the European Tour? Or will the pressure get to the young Austrian?

Schwab will tee off at 11:30 local time (GMT+3), alongside Benjamin Hebert and Tyrrell Hatton, but who will take the title come late afternoon in Antalya?

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Leaderboard:

1 (-18): Matthias Schwab (AUT)

T2 (-15): Ross Fisher (ENG), Patrick Reed (USA), Robert MacIntyre (SCO), Benjamin Hebert (FRA), Tyrrell Hatton (ENG)

T7 (-13): Scott Jamieson (SCO), Erik van Rooyen (RSA), Victor Perez (FRA)

T10 (-12): Lee Westwood (ENG), Justin Harding (RSA), Fabrizio Zanotti (PGY), Joachim Hansen (DEN), Kurt Kitayama (USA)

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