Everything you need to know from day three at Aphrodite Hills Resort.
The drama started early but Green got going late, Campillo had a close shave and Langasque made his own luck in the Saturday shootout at the 2020 Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Showdown.
Here is everything you need to know from day three in Paphos.
Green for go after late drama
Matthew Jordan and Johannes Veerman may have topped the leaderboard with rounds of 64 but it was the men shooting 68s that brought the drama in Cyprus. Jorge Campillo and Thomas Detry were left sweating four shots back in a tie for 16th as the final group of Gavin Green and Richard Bland came up the last. A birdie or better for Bland would push the Belgian and the Spaniard out of the top 16, while if he were to par and Malaysian Green make an eagle on the par five, the Englishman would also be heading home. Bland found sand off the tee at the last but managed to save his par and, with Green hitting an incredible second from the rough and making a two putt birdie, both men advanced alongside Campillo and Detry at three under. Phew!
That Sunday feeling
We may have been finishing Friday's round on Saturday morning but with the format here in Cyprus, our players were getting that Sunday vibe. With 23 out of the 105 man field returning to try and get into the top 32 and the Saturday shootout, Marcus Armitage made two birdies in his last five holes - including one on the last - to get to that magical mark of six under. "The pressure there; it felt like we were coming down the stretch in contention if I’m honest," said the Englishman.
The pressure there; it felt like we were coming down the stretch in contention if I’m honest
And France's Joël Stalter - who parred his three holes in the morning to make the third round on the bubble, said: "Even this morning, I was more nervous than I’ve been in a very long time. It gets in your head, you’re playing well, you’re on the mark, you have three holes left in the second round." Nerves jangling on a Saturday morning, you've got to love these formats.
Fancy this one?
The tee shot at the par three seventh is intimidating enough - an opening blow over a trench so large and steep that you use a buggy to get from tee to green. Well in round three they were playing off the back tee, making the hole an eye-watering 232 yards. Of course, the pros can do what Marcus Kinhult does here. But would you fancy this tee shot?
It's not often you see pro golfers hitting woods into par 3s 😮
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) November 7, 2020
The 7th tee has been moved back for the weekend and now plays 232 yards.#CyprusShowdown pic.twitter.com/9SS8h3DvT0
Allez Romain!
Everyone loves a driveable par four but sometimes giving it a big hit does not go to plan. We're fairly sure this is not where Romain Langasque was planning to end up at the 14th. Luckily, the Frenchman recovered by doing this.
Full use of the backstop 😉
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) November 7, 2020
Those help, @Lancaisse.#CyprusShowdown pic.twitter.com/2xvu58aqD9
Record-breaking Jorge
It was not even 8am when Campillo birdied the 18th to finish his second round but it was a big moment not to be missed. The Spaniard was already seven under for his round through 15 holes and when he added gains on the 17th and 18th, he had signed for a 62 and set a new course record. Fast forward a few hours and he was birdieing the 18th again to make it through...just.
Brave 😳
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) November 7, 2020
Will -3 be enough for @jcampillogolf to make the Sunday Showdown?#CyprusShowdwon pic.twitter.com/FxOmtKOM8b