For immediate release
Date: Saturday August 19, 2023

Tournament: ISPS HANDA World Invitational presented by AVIV Clinics
Race to Dubai: Tournament 34 of 45 events
Venue: Galgorm, Ballymena, Northern Ireland / Castlerock Golf Club, Coleraine, Northern Ireland
Prize Fund: $1,500,000
Hashtag: #WorldInvitational #DPWT
Press Officer: Matthew Joule / +44 (0) 7384 468 217 / mjoule@europeantourgroup.com

Round three report

Round three report

Dan Brown retained his six-stroke lead at the ISPS HANDA World Invitational presented by AVIV Clinics and will tomorrow bid to become the fourth wire-to-wire winner on the 2023 Race to Dubai.

The Englishman produced an incredible display of scoring over the first two days to open a six-stroke advantage at the halfway stage and he managed to keep that buffer on day three at Galgorm, courtesy of a three under par 67 to reach 14 under.

The action at the tri-sanctioned event between the DP World Tour, LPGA and Ladies European Tour moved over to Galgorm on day three after being split between the Antrim venue and Castlerock Golf Club over the first two days and Brown showed no signs of pressure as he diligently went about his work.

He opened with a bogey at the first but immediately got back on level terms as a birdie at the second was then followed by further gains at the sixth and eighth. The 28-year-old began the back nine in the same vein, with another dropped shot, before two birdies in his final three holes saw him regain his six-stroke cushion ahead of South Africa’s Wilco Nienaber and England’s Alex Fitzpatrick.

The big-hitting South African stormed into contention with a bogey-free seven under round of 63, which included six back nine birdies, while Fitzpatrick, who won the British Challenge presented by Modest! Golf Management a fortnight ago, mixed four birdies with a single bogey in reaching eight under.

Spaniard Adrian Otaegui posted a round of 66 to move to fourth on seven under, with England’s John Parry a shot further back in fifth. A second cut fell after the third round at two over par, with 40 players surviving to compete in the final round.

The women’s competition is also led by an English player, with Gabriella Cowley posting a five under 67 to lead by one on six under par, while America’s Ryann O’Toole and Germany’s Esther Henseleit sharing second on five under.

Player quotes

Dan Brown: “Obviously, there’s still a good way to go yet. But yeah, it’s nice to play well and keep that lead and make it a little bit more comfortable than I suppose what it might be. But yeah, still one day to go.

“I’ve driven it really well, which tends to be my strength anyway. But I’ve seen around here the rough is pretty juicy in places, so that’s been important. It’s just all seemed to fit together for the vast majority of this week.

“I’m very tired. Played two practice rounds this week, which we wouldn’t normally do over two courses. I hope I’m tired enough to get some rest.”

Alex Fitzpatrick: “Another grind. I was hoping today wasn’t going to be as windy, but then there was a little bit of rain as well, so that didn’t help things. But yeah, just trying to hit fairways, greens and see where that puts me.

“It was very impressive. And obviously he’s a great driver of the golf ball and and that definitely showed today. I don’t think he missed many fairways. But, you know, he had a lot of good shots at the right time and holed some good shots. It was very impressive. This course is very, very tough off the tee and plays long, tricky greens. It was good to watch.

“I think at the end of the day you can only control what you can do. So for me, I’m going to go out and try my best tomorrow and see where it takes me. And if I do, you know, didn’t play great, then there’s nothing I can do. But if he goes out and plays great it’s like, great, good for him. I’ve known him for a long time. Going to go and see what I can do tomorrow.”

Adrian Otaegui: “Very pleased with the day overall. Very pleased with the finish as well. I felt good overall from tee to green, gave myself lots of chances. Two bogeys there but  good overall and very happy with the way I felt as well on the course.

“I made some good putting preparation this morning, bunker shots just to get used again to the type of grass, the sand. It was good. It was quite windy today as well. So that’s why it was important to control the trajectory, to put yourself in the right place and on the fairway. So it was good.”

Wilco Nienaber: “My finish was, unfortunately on that stretch, it didn’t feel that good. But I am happy with my five that I made on the last. I had a good tee shot and I just finished in the top of the bunker. Very good fun.

“Tomorrow you wake up and look at the weather and just take it as another day. I am excited. I am playing well and improving. So looking forward to it.

Gabriella Cowley: “Today was just a really good day. Felt really in control and just really enjoyed it, to be honest.

“I thought the course setup today was great. The last two days was tough, so it was actually a really good setup. I felt there was a few more birdie chances today.

“There is still rain and wind, but just wasn’t as severe and the course wasn’t playing as tough and as long. The rough just seemed to actually not settle down as much. Obviously it’s still thick, but it just didn’t seem to nestle down as much today. So, yeah, thought the course setup and the tees moved forward and everything in the layout was really, really good.”

Scores after round three:

197 D BROWN (ENG) 64 66 67,
203 W NIENABER (RSA) 72 68 63, A FITZPATRICK (ENG) 66 70 67,
204 A OTAEGUI (ESP) 70 68 66,
205 J PARRY (ENG) 69 69 67,
206 E PEPPERELL (ENG) 70 68 68, A HIDALGO (ESP) 67 69 70,
208 T LEWIS (ENG) 73 67 68, C SYME (SCO) 69 69 70,
209 M GANDAS (IND) 66 73 70, R NEERGAARD-PETERSEN (DEN) 69 69 71, M PENGE (ENG) 73 69 67,
210 M KINHULT (SWE) 70 72 68, G FORREST (SCO) 74 68 68, N LEMKE (SWE) 67 73 70, R SANTOS (POR) 68 71 71, J MORRISON (ENG) 70 71 69, S BAIRSTOW (ENG) 67 74 69, C BARROW (ENG) 66 76 68,
211 T MCKIBBIN (NIR) 78 65 68, M SCHMITT (GER) 71 71 69, M ARMITAGE (ENG) 71 71 69, M SOUTHGATE (ENG) 68 73 70, M HELLIGKILDE (DEN) 70 71 70,
212 V PASTOR (ESP) 74 69 69, M ROTTLUFF (GER) 71 72 69, J RUTHERFORD (ENG) 69 74 69, F SCHOTT (GER) 70 74 68, J THOMSON (ENG) 73 69 70, J SENIOR (ENG) 69 71 72, M BALDWIN (ENG) 70 72 70,
213 G KRISTJANSSON (ISL) 70 74 69, M WARREN (SCO) 69 74 70, E FERGUSON (SCO) 72 72 69, P WARING (ENG) 69 75 69, R MANSELL (ENG) 73 66 74, R HOSHINO (JPN) 69 70 74, P FIGUEIREDO (POR) 70 69 74, R SCIOT-SIEGRIST (FRA) 67 72 74, M JORDAN (ENG) 70 72 71,
214 S SCOTT (SCO) 75 68 71, F LACROIX (FRA) 70 73 71, D LAW (SCO) 71 71 72, D FICHARDT (RSA) 71 70 73, R GOUVEIA (POR) 70 72 72,
215 M ELVIRA (ESP) 71 73 71, T CLEMENTS (ENG) 68 75 72, G BOYD (ENG) 69 72 74, D COUPLAND (ENG) 71 71 73,
216 J DAVIDSON (WAL) 70 73 73, J WANG (KOR) 67 76 73, J ZUNIC (AUS) 69 75 72, M LORENZO-VERA (FRA) 71 73 72, D VAN DRIEL (NED) 69 73 74, M SIMONSEN (DEN) 71 73 72,
217 C MCKINNEY (AUS) 71 72 74, J GUMBERG (USA) 72 71 74,
222 R ENOCH (WAL) 71 73 78,
223 C HANNA (USA) 71 73 79,
226 J LEE (USA) 71 72 83, C HILL (SCO) 69 75 82,
**
145 L DE JAGER (RSA) 70 75, S FERNANDEZ (ESP) 74 71, L CANTER (ENG) 69 76, R MACINTYRE (SCO) 69 76, J AXELSEN (DEN) 76 69, Y KIM (KOR) 71 74, H STUREHED (SWE) 74 71, G STAL (FRA) 68 77, N KEARNEY (IRL) 75 70, A GARCIA-HEREDIA (ESP) 74 71, R RUFFELS (AUS) 73 72, G DE LEO (ITA) 65 80,
146 T STRYDOM (RSA) 74 72, D HOWELL (ENG) 69 77, B VIRTO (ESP) 71 75, M LUNDBERG (SWE) 73 73, B EASTON (RSA) 73 73, J CATLIN (USA) 71 75, D MCELROY (NIR) 74 72,
147 D WHITBY-SMITH (ENG) 69 78, K DAVIDSE (RSA) 73 74, D BORDA (ESP) 72 75, E BERTHEUSSEN (NOR) 70 77, R LANGASQUE (FRA) 71 76, A WILSON (ENG) 77 70, J KO (FRA) 77 70, M GRADECKI (POL) 74 73, B WINDRED (AUS) 72 75, J SCHAPER (RSA) 72 75, R MCGEE (IRL) 75 72, L SCALISE (ITA) 75 72,
148 R PARATORE (ITA) 70 78, K HIGA (JPN) 71 77, M KENNEDY (AM) (IRL) 73 75, C HOWIE (SCO) 71 77, J STALTER (FRA) 67 81, J SURI (USA) 75 73, D DIXON (ENG) 75 73,
149 J SAINZ (ESP) 73 76, O FARR (WAL) 71 78, C LEE (SCO) 75 74, D HORSEY (ENG) 72 77, T AIKEN (RSA) 70 79, V MEYER (GER) 72 77, T MURRAY (ENG) 75 74, J JANEWATTANANOND (THA) 73 76, J CALDWELL (NIR) 71 78, U COUSSAUD (FRA) 73 76, G PORTEOUS (ENG) 71 78,
150 Z MORGAN (ENG) 73 77, J KRUYSWIJK (RSA) 73 77, R MCGOWAN (ENG) 78 72, A PLANT (ENG) 74 76, D MCGRANE (IRL) 77 73, T ED?N (SWE) 75 75,
151 C JARVIS (RSA) 76 75, Y LIU (CHN) 76 75, D RAVETTO (FRA) 78 73,
152 M MANASSERO (ITA) 74 78, K REITAN (NOR) 78 74, F AGUILAR (CHI) 73 79, M STEWART (SCO) 78 74,
153 R MCEVOY (ENG) 74 79, H ISLAM (ENG) 71 82,
154 M CHENGYAO (CHN) 77 77, G WIEBE (USA) 74 80, B ROBINSON THOMPSON (ENG) 75 79, J GALBRAITH (NIR) 74 80,
155 L BJERREGAARD (DEN) 76 79, D MOSTERT (RSA) 78 77, J MURPHY (IRL) 78 77,
156 M FEUERSTEIN (USA) 80 76,
157 C PIGEM (ESP) 70 87,
158 D CAREY (IRL) 75 83, J FREIBURGHAUS (SUI) 77 81, A COHEN (ISR) 74 84,
**
OUT V PEREZ (FRA) 74 WD, D GAVINS (ENG) 78 WD, C SHARVIN (NIR) RT , M DECOTTIGNIES-LAFON (FRA) RT , A IWASAKI (JPN) RT , C BRING (DEN) RT ,

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