European Tour

HNA Open de France 2018

June 28 - July 01

Le Golf National, Saint-Quentin-en Yvelines

$7,000,000

June 28 - July 01

Le Golf National, Saint-Quentin-en Yvelines

$7,000,000

Round 3

Kinhult keeps advantage in France

Round 1

Round 2

Round 4

Round 1

Round 2

Round 4

June 30, 2018

Sweden’s Marcus Kinhult maintained his two shot advantage in the HNA Open de France, but the 21 year old has some illustrious company lining up behind up him as he heads into the final round of the European Tour’s third Rolex Series event of 2018.

- Getty Images

“I just felt good. I hit some really good iron shots. As you said, it was a bit of a shaky start, but then I just hit some good shots and felt better and better throughout the round. The momentum kind of kept me going in there.``

“It's going to be nerve-wracking, the first few holes, at least. I felt the nerves today for sure and tomorrow is going to be the same I guess. So just trying to handle that and handle myself as well as I can, and obviously it's a lot of fun.”

Both Kinhult and his playing partner, Ryder Cup player Chris Wood, signed for four under par rounds of 67, with each player impressively fighting back from double bogeys early in their third rounds – Kinhult on the second hole, after an opening birdie, and Wood on fourth.

“It was good. We had a good time out there with Marcus,`` said Wiid. ``I was really impressed with him, really impressed. I felt like we both were hitting good shots all the time, one after the other, and yeah, good shots might not always look next to the hole around this golf course or in the middle of the fairway, but I certainly felt like we gelled a little bit with each other.``

Kinhult responded with five birdies in a row from the fifth hole and then negotiated Le Golf National’s difficult back nine in level par 35 shots to lead on 10 under par, while Wood picked up eight shots in ten holes after dropping three shots in his first five, before bogeying the last to sit two shots back on eight under par.

The pair will have three of the world’s top players – Sergio Garcia, Justin Thomas and Jon Rahm - chasing them on Sunday, with Major Champion Garcia surging into contention courtesy of a masterful display of ball striking in his round of 64.

The Spaniard, who is making his debut over The 2018 Ryder Cup course, posted eight birdies, with his only dropped shot of the day coming on the last hole where he found the water from the tee, as he moved into third place on seven under par.

“I played really well, other than one shot on 18, but I was very proud of the way I came over that one and hit a great four iron into the green.``

“We'll see what kind of day we have. Obviously, the goal is to play as well as I did today. I believe in what I'm doing, and you know, just have as much confidence as possible, like I was doing today. If I'm able to do that, I should have a good round and it's the kind of golf course that it's testing you every single hole and you've got to stay very patient and very down-to-earth.”

He will be joined in tantalising penultimate group by his compatriot Rahm, the World Number Five who followed a birdie on the 17th by holing a 35ft birdie putt on the last hole for a round of 68 to lie four shots back on six under par. World Number Two Thomas also found the lake with his drive on the 18th hole, but scrambled a par to post a round of 69, the same as his fellow American Julian Suri, who joins him in a share of fifth place on five under par.

“It's a difficult golf course,`` said Thomas. ``I've played some of the best golf I've played this year, and I'm only four under par through three rounds. I mean, I was saying that to Jimmy, this place could host a Major in a heartbeat. It's such a great track and you just can't fake it around here. You have to hit quality golf shots, and I feel that I've done so. Maybe just haven't quite as much to show as I could have.”