England’s Oliver Wilson is set to regain his European Tour card in dramatic manner after moving three strokes clear of the field on day three of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Wilson, 34 shot a seven under par highlighted by a fifth hole eagle on the Old Course at St. Andrews to move to 15-under par.
Four players – World No. 1 Rory McIlroy (64), England’s Tommy Fleetwood (62) and the French pair of Raphael Jacquelin (69) and Alexander Levy (68) and all competing at St. Andrews – are tied in second place at 12-under par.
However heavy overnight rain that forced an hour’s delay to the start of play forced officials into adopting a ‘preferred lie’ rule meaning Fleetwood’s 10-under par 62 will not count as an equal Old Course record.
Rory McIlroy just three off the lead and seeking a fifth Tour success this season. (Photo – Stuart Adams/www.golftourimages.com)
Since losing full playing rights at the end of 2011 Wilson has been competing on the secondary (not immediate or development) Challenge Tour.
Prior to then Wilson had secured nine second place finishes four in 2008 that helped earn him Ryder Cup selection while his best finish in three years on the Challenge Tour was also a second in last year’s Northern Ireland Open Challenge.
However Wilson began showing signs of a return to some form a fortnight ago in posting a new Kazakhstan Open course record 63.
“I was pretty happy with today’s round as I played pretty good even though I left a bit out there that was a bit frustrating but overall very pleased,” said Wilson.
“Given how poorly I have driven the ball the last couple of years and to stand up with new Callaway driver I have in the bag and hit the shots I’ve hit this week has been very much the key to my good scoring.
“I noticed Rory tied me there at one stage but then that’s what you expect Rory to shoot the lights out but then he and the other names on the board don’t affect me as I am just doing my own thing and trying to shoot as good a score as I can.”
Wilson arrived in Scotland lying 792nd on the World Rankings and having earned just over Euro 21,000 in prize money this season.
However a first-ever Tour victory on Sunday over the Old Course would earn Wilson a first prize of Euro 625,787 along with a two-year European Tour exemption and more immediately earn him a place in next month’s $8.5m WGC – HSBC Champions event in China along with starts in next year’s European Tour Volvo Champions plus an appearance in the $8.5m WGC – Bridgestone Invitational.
“Who knows what will happen tomorrow as there is a long 18 holes still to go, so it will be a long day but to win would mean a lot to me, of course,” said Wilson.
“I just love coming to play golf here on the three courses we play but that walk up the 18th on the Old Course is pretty cool, so it will be nice to do that tomorrow as the winner of this great event.”
McIlroy cut a swath through the field coming from a share of 20th with six birdies in succession from the third hole and then a further four birdies from the ninth to 14th before his only bogey of the round at the par four 16th where he took two shots to get out a fairway bunker.
“That was mission accomplished,” he said.
“I got off to a really fast start and was trying to keep it going, and I sort of did through the turn but to par the last four holes wasn’t really what I wanted.
“But any time you shoot a score like that around St. Andrews, you have to be happy. Got myself into contention going into tomorrow, and Dad and I are going to get to play St. Andrews on his birthday tomorrow which will be a huge treat for both of us.”
Joining McIlroy in making the third cut was victorious Ryder Cup colleague Stephen Gallacher (69) who shares 12th place on nine under par.
But missing out on the final round were their Gleneagles colleagues Frenchman Victor Dubuisson (75) at one under par and Germany’s Martin Kaymer (71) at one over.
