It’s a Tartan takeover with Scots Grant Forrest and Callum Hill sharing the lead and David Law just two back heading to the final round of the Hero Open at the Fairmont Resort near St. Andrews.
Forrest bogeyed his first but then brilliantly blasted out 11 birdies in a scintillating 10-under par 62 but with a ‘preferred lie’ rule in place in the bright but windy conditons on the Torrance course.The Craigielaw golfer moved to 18-under-par before being joined by Hill who added a 65 and just two days after setting a new course record of 63.
Forrest and Hill, and both chasing a maiden European Tour victory, head into the final round one clear of Spaniard Santiago Tarrio (67) at 17-under par.
Aberdonian Law is just one shot further back posting a bogey-free 66 to be tied in fourth place with Dane Lucas Bjerregaard (71) on 16-under.
Forrest capped his round ith six birdies in succession from the sixth hole.
He said: “It was one of those days and with a bogey start, and you’re thinking it’s not an ideal start but I changed my putting grip and I made pretty much everything.
“Also, I think Lucas’s (Bjerregaard) putter from yesterday in shooting a 62 might have rubbed off on me a little bit.
I just felt I wasn’t hitting putts solidly and I went back to left over right, which I’ve done in the past so it’s not something new. It feels natural.”
Hill began his round with a second hole birdie and then eagled the next before dropping his only shots in three rounds at 10 and 14 before regrouping with birdies at 15 and the last.
He said: “I played really nice. It was difficult to make putts when it got windy, so I think that altered my score a bit because today I felt like it was my best ball-striking round.
“All around, I’m very happy and I’m very determined to win. This is what you play for isn’t it? I’m looking forward to it with the home crowd and family watching, I’ll be giving it my best”.
The sight of two Scots sharing the lead is a first on Tour six years since the 2015 Hassan 11 Trophy when the pair of Richie Ramsay and Andrew McArthur led the field and with Ramsay eventually winning in Agadir.
And Law is just as exiced heading day four and seeking a second Tour victory after the now 30-year-old’s sensational eagle winning shot at the 72nd hole to win the 2019 ISPA Handa Vic Open in Australia.
“I’m really pleased – especially with the back nine. The wind really picked up and there’s some tough holes coming in. I played good tee to green and holed some nice putts, so I’m looking forward to tomorrow”, said Law
“I’ve been playing in these conditions for a long time, you put the ball back in your stance, take a club, sometimes two, more and just hit it soft. That 17th hole is 190 yards but must have played 230 yards, it’s certainly difficult out there.
“It’s links style, it’s not playing that way this week. With the rain we saw yesterday it’s softened up the course quite significantly. You need to adapt a little bit because you see everything as a links golf shot and when the wind is like that, strong, you’re hitting it quite low and expecting it to run out – and it’s not really doing that. You need to factor that in and it makes it a little more difficult.”
And after winning at one of the furtherest points on the globe where the European Tour plays, Law is naturally excited at the thought of winning on home soill
“It would mean a lot to win at home,” he said.
“I’ve not been in this position, up there trying to win a golf tournament, for a couple of years. I’ve been playing good golf and I’m comfortable in these situations. I’m really looking forward to it, it’s why we practice and why we play. I’m excited”.
