FedEx Open de France: Jesper Svensson holds one-stroke lead going into final round as Justin Rose falls five off pace
Sweden’s Jesper Svensson carded a third-round 67 to take a one-stroke lead heading into the final round of the FedEx Open de France.
Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen and England’s Sam Bairstow share second spot on 12 under, while fellow countrymen Joe Dean and Dan Bradbury remain in contention one further back.
Bradbury, who had shared the overnight lead with Svensson and Belgium’s Thomas Detry, posted a two-under 69 on Saturday, while Detry’s one-over 72 drops him five off the pace alongside Justin Rose.
The 2013 US Open champion and former world No 1 was two off the lead at the halfway stage of the tournament but is now in a tie for 15th after a round of 70.
Svensson, eyeing just his second win on the DP World Tour, after claiming the Porsche Singapore Classic in March, showed remarkable consistency to earn the outright lead as the 28-year-old reached 16 of the 18 greens in regulation during his third round.
The Swede carded four birdies in his first six holes and five overall, but bogeyed the 17th at Le Golf National for a four-under 67.
“I hit the ball really well all day, a lot of good looks, hit a lot of good putts,” Svensson said. “A lot of putts slid past, hopefully they’ll drop tomorrow.”
Olesen had four birdies as he too posted a 67 on Saturday, while Bairstow’s six-under 65 included a superb chip-in eagle on the 14th hole.
“Front nine was very smooth and I just holed a few putts on the back nine,” Bairstow said. “Hopefully keep it going.”
Lev Grinberg, the 16-year-old Ukrainian playing for just the fifth time on the DP World Tour, was undone by a triple-bogey on the 15th – where he hit two balls into the water – to ultimately card 70 and sit tied for 30th on six under.
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