Portugal Masters 2021 R3
November 04-07
Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course, Vilamoura, Portugal
€1,500,000
Round 1, Round 2, Round 4

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Frenchman Matthieu Pavon and Belgian Thomas Pieters will take a four-shot lead into the final round of the Portugal Masters after both shot rounds of 65 to reach 16-under on Saturday.

Portugal Masters 2021 R3

Both started the day in a four-way tie two shots behind leader Nino Bertasio . Pavon shot eight birdies and two bogeys while Pieters' round was more colourful with an eagle, eight birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey.

Portugal Masters 2021 R3

"I was quite happy," said Pieters. "The front nine was really tough with the wind, we got lucky and it died down on the back nine. The front nine was brutal. The wind switched every five seconds, it felt like. I putted well, gave myself plenty of chances and it was nice to walk off with a putt like that.

"I felt like I played well all day. I'm not going to make any excuses but I had a mud ball on the par five, the fifth. I had five mudballs on the first nine – I didn't understand why we didn't place the ball today. I finished well. I hit a terrible three wood into 12, got away with it and made the putt. In my head that was like a two or three shot swing, I was very positive after that.

"I don't really care as long as tomorrow I'm at the top of the leaderboard. It's nice to be 16-under and leading or chasing. Hopefully I'll have a chance tomorrow."

Portugal Masters 2021 R3

Pavon is still looking for his first title and holds the 54-hole lead for the first time on the European Tour in 133 appearances.

"I just focused a lot on the pace (of the greens), that's the main thing," said Pavon. "I feel like I have had good reads this week, after that it's just the pace. The only putts where I missed the pace were 17 and 11, I gave myself a little bit of work. After a full field, the greens sometimes aren't good at the end of the day. The key was good pace, leaving less pressure on the putt back.

"It will be the same tomorrow. I try to hit as many greens as possible, this is the way I was today, focused on every shot and trying to hit every shot as if it was the most important in my life. The focus was good and narrowed compared to yesterday, so I will try and bring this mentality with me into tomorrow."

Portugal Masters 2021 R3

Lucas Bjerregaard of Denmark shot a 69 for solo third place at 12-under followed by Swede Kristoffer Broberg (66) in fourth place at 11-under.

"I didn't have my best today," said Bjerregaard. "I drove it poorly, but all-in-all it wasn't too bad. I was a little disappointed with the finish. I hit a good drive on 17 and was able to go for the green , but I hit it in the water and made bogey. That was disappointing, it would have been nice to make a birdie there."

Portugal Masters 2021 R3

England's Sam Horsfield (69) and Denmark's Nicolai Højgaard (67) share fifth place at 10-under.

"The course has changed a little bit, but it's still soft," said Højgaard. " Greens are soft, fairways are soft, so you can be aggressive. I thought the scores would be lower, but sometimes greens can be a little bit bad when the course is soft. It's a different wind direction because it swirls around all the time, so the course plays quite tricky at times."

Bertasio made a single birdie and four bogeys to close with a 74 and slips down into a share of seventh place at 9-under alongside Englishmen Richard Bland (69) and Callum Shinkwin (71) and France's Benjamin Hebert who closed with a bogey-free 68.

Portugal Masters 2021 R3