(Reuters) – England’s Matt Fitzpatrick and Belgian Thomas Detry shared the lead after the third round of the Scottish Open on Saturday, with world number one Jon Rahm breathing down their necks heading into the final day at the Renaissance Club.
Fitzpatrick rolled in six birdies and dropped two strokes in his round of four-under-par 67 to climb up to 14-under.
The six-times European Tour winner was joined by overnight co-leader Detry, who is hoping to break his title duck on the tour after a composed 68.
Rahm, fine-tuning his preparations in North Berwick for next week’s British Open, was part of the leading group until the 16th hole where he three-putted from 16 feet to give up a stroke.
The Spaniard signed for a 69 to trail the leaders by one shot as he looks to win once again in his first appearance since his U.S. Open triumph at Torrey Pines last month.
“Just a couple errors, whether it’s me mentally or technically, whatever it is,” Rahm said.
“It is unfortunate that it’s been happening quite a bit the last few days. I’m usually very, very solid inside five feet. It’s definitely unusual.
“But I’m making it up with a couple other longer putts and hitting really, really good shots out there. Hopefully I can keep that going tomorrow and clean up the little mistakes and come out on top.”
Australian Lucas Herbert, winner of last week’s Irish Open, climbed 19 places on the leaderboard into fourth on 12-under, with countrymen Min Woo Lee and Wade Ormsby sat one shot further back alongside American Scottie Scheffler.
Swede Alexander Bjork produced the lowest round of the week with a 63 to move up to 10-under and sit alongside world number five Xander Schauffele, reigning Race to Dubai winner Lee Westwood and Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington.
(Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)
