David ‘Double D’ Drysdale is staring at a historic double victory first if he captures a maiden Tour win at the Scandinavian Mixed by Annika and Henrik in Sweden.
Drysdale added a third round 70 in bright but very windy conditions to move into a five-way share of fifth place at 11-under par but just one off the lead on the Vallda course to the south of Gothenburg.
Swede Caroline Hedwall, 32, had led by two shots in playing the 17th only to send her drive into water in taking a double-bogey ‘6’ on route to a 73 and drop back into a four-way share of the lead on 12-under par.
Scotland’s David Drysdale staring at historic double victory first heading to final round Scandinavian Mixed
Sharing the lead with Hedwall is fellow Ladies European Tour (LET) star Alice Hewson (69), who partnered Drysdale on day three, along with the best of the men in Aussie Jason Scrivener and Welshman Rhys Enoch, each posting 66s as they also seek a maiden Tour victory.
Hedwall, and studying for a criminology degree, strongly remains the player to beat having won 15 times in her pro career including six victories on the Ladies European Tour (LET) while the current World No. 161 enjoys the experience of 42 women’s majors plus has four Solheim Cup caps.
Drysdale’s round, and in the ‘kite flying’ conditions more akin to being back home, was a mix of three birdies and just one bogey and the affable Scot revealing post his second round the benefits on working with new putting coach, Andy Paisley * See – http://www.golfbytourmiss.com/2021/06/drysdale-has-good-cause-to-sing-praise-of-new-putting-coach/
Drysdale said: “The conditions were tricky with such strong winds, so I’m quite pleased with my score.
“It was still scorable with opportunities on the par 5s and a wee bit tidier short game would have been nice. But the greens are slow so it was difficult”.
The Scot continues a pursuit to capture a maiden victory in a 526th Tour event, and in the week’s history-making first tournament with the men playing alongside some of the best on the LET.
Though with wife Vicky by his side as caddy, chief motivator and also manager, Drysdale has both feet firmly on the Swedish turf in his quest for success.
He said: “Vicky and I were talking about how it’s important now for me to be thinking that in going into this last round that the four leading are not two men and two women, but four fellow professionals.
“So, looking at the leader-board with a day to go, it’s going to be very interesting how it all pans out”.
Richie Ramsay, and the only other male to make the cut, added a third day 70 and picking-up 28 places to move into a share of 27th at six-under par.
And Dubai-based Scot Alison Muirhead slumped from being four-under through two rounds to post a shock 13-over par 85 and drop to last place at nine-over.
