Tyrrell Hatton has pledged to keep his cool as he chases a first victory for two years in the Turkish Airlines Open, where compatriot Eddie Pepperell suffered an embarrassing exit.
Hatton carded a third round of 65 to share second place in Antalya with Patrick Reed, Ross Fisher, Robert MacIntyre and Benjamin Hebert, three shots behind leader Matthias Schwab.
In contrast, Pepperell did not even finish his round and was disqualified for failing to complete the fourth hole, his 13th of the day.
Up-and-down for a 65...
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) November 9, 2019
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Pepperell was two over par for the round after dropping shots on the second and third and then hit his approach to the next into the water guarding the green.
In a scene reminiscent of the film โTin Cupโ, Pepperell had several more attempts โ even his caddie could not say for certain whether it was four or five โ before informing playing partners Martin Kaymer and George Coetzee that he had run out of balls.
Pepperell is likely to fined by the European Tour for the incident, something Hatton has experience of after acts of petulant on-course behaviour, including smashing a tee marker to pieces at the World Cup in Melbourne in November 2018.
โThereโs times where I canโt help myself, but thatโs just me,โ the 28-year-old Ryder Cup winner said. โObviously if I can keep myself as cool as I can be tomorrow then Iโll give myself the best chance possible and thatโs all I can ask for.
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— Tyrrell Hatton (@TyrrellHatton) October 11, 2019
โIโve felt a big performance coming. Normally Iโm quite a negative person but, in the last sort of month, Iโve actually felt quite confident. The putting is the one thing Iโve kind of struggled with a little bit.
โIโve actually gone back to same shape of putter I used when I won twice back in 2017 and got my first win with the year before. Obviously I do have some good memories with that and hopefully it can provide some magic tomorrow.โ
Reed believes the second sub-60 round in European Tour history could be possible after he let several shots slip in his 65.
โI three-putted the 13th from five feet, which turned a birdie opportunity into a bogey and missed a really short one on the fourth as well and thatโs three shots right there and thatโs a 10-under par round,โ the former Masters champion said.
โThatโs not including the other putts that I feel like I missed or stuff I let get away. So I wouldnโt be surprised if someone could go shoot 59, 60, 61 out here. Itโs out there, especially with how benign the wind has been and how warm, so the ball is travelling.โ
MacIntyre illustrated that point by driving the green on the par-four 15th and holing from three feet for an eagle, the 23-year-old left-hander then picking up shots on the 16th and 18th to complete a 67.
MacIntyre leads the race to be crowned European Tour rookie of the year after three runners-up finishes this season, as well as a tie for sixth in the Open, and said: โIโve shot under par every time in them situations so Iโm just going to play my golf.
โIโm just going to stick to my game plan, being aggressive on approach shots and driver off almost every tee. Just got to keep doing what Iโm doing and hopefully that will be good at the end of the week.โ