Best mates Connor Syme and Ewen Ferguson are just a shot apart and well in contention for victory heading to the final round at the Magical Kenya Open in Nairobi.
The tartan duo each birdied the last hole in similar scores of 70 for Syme to be just two shots back at eight-under and his Modest Golf management stablemate, Ferguson at seven-under and three off the leading pace.
Dutchman Darius Van Deil (68) and Spaniard Manuel Elvira (67) lead the way by two shots at 10-under.
Syme shares third with two others while double Tour winning Ferguson shares sixth with four others including Eliva’s older brother, Nacho.
Super by @connor_syme @modestgolf late on day three #MKO2024 @magicalkenya
Gets the back to within three of the lead
️ SKY
✅@TOURMISS pic.twitter.com/PWoB38doav
— Golf & Science News (@TOURMISS) February 24, 2024
Syme, competing in his 147th Tour event, began ‘moving day’ with a third bogey in succession in three days at the second but then after a birdie at the next, his second at the eighth ricocheted off a tree and behind him, on route to a double-bogey ‘6’.
However, the Drumoig golfer bounced back holing a 10-footer for eagle ‘3’ at 10 and while finding water guarding the green in taking bogey on 13, Syme birdied both 15 and the last.
Syme said: “I’m only two behind which is a nice spot to be, so I’m looking forward to tomorrow.
“It was a set-back on eight, taking double that was disappointing but then it was great to grab an eagle a couple of holes later.
“So, a few penalty shots but still managed to shoot under par”.
Ferguson heads into the final round again looking to make amends for his 2022 nightmare last day when he led by four shots but ended nine back. Three weeks later he won the first to two Tour titles and now looks for a third and also become a fifth Scot to win in the 56th anniversary of the Kenya event.
Ferguson was level par after six holes ahead of three birdies succession from the seventh before a bogey 13, and then for a third day he bogeyed 14 and this time, losing his drive ahead of matching Syme walking off with a closing birdie
He said: “Good to birdie the last but I didn’t play well all day, as I was struggling not having a good rhythm in my swing.
“So, it was a battle all day and I’m just not feeling myself. It’s amazing how your body changes and feels from day-to-day, so to shoot under par was good.
“I’ve kept myself still in it but then it’s not easy to go out there with the lead, as I have experienced before.
“Hopefully, there’s a low one of there, and luck goes my way tomorrow.”
MEANTIME ..
Top-ranked Scot Robert MacIntyre produced an equal-lowest season low to end a run of three missed cuts at the Mexico Open at Vidanta.
MacIntyre, competing in the last group, birdied three of his closing seven holes in a five-under 66 to be just inside the top-30, six shots behind the leading foursome on 11-under including England’s Matt Wallace.
The Oban lefty made the cut in his very first new PGA event at the Sony Open in Hawaii, and where he also shot a day two 66, but has sat out the weekend rounds in his last three starts.
It has also seen MacIntyre drop to No. 71 on the world rankings and now just a month to get himself inside the top-50 to earn a Masters invitation.
