England’s Ian Poulter went about his business with a clinical efficiency to move four strokes clear of Argentina’s Ricardo Gonzalez at the XXXII Banco de Madrid Valle Romano Open de Madrid Golf Masters, posting an outstanding third round of eight under par 64 to post a breathtaking 19 under 197 total with 18 holes to play at La Moraleja II.
Poulter’s third round display, after fine first and second round scores of 67-66, was quite devastating as he hit top gear to surge clear of the field and put himself in a great position to secure his first European Tour title since the 2004 Volvo Masters.
The 30 year old came to Madrid with one goal in his mind and that was plain and simple: win the tournament.
Victory on Sunday afternoon would propel Poulter back into the top 50 on the Official World Golf Ranking, and ensure him a place at the WGC – American Express Championships at The Grove in a fortnight’s time.
He now finds himself in a perfect position to finish the job, and if he can maintain the level of performance he has achieved in his first three rounds it will take a superhuman effort to beat him, given the fact that he has not dropped a stroke in 54 holes at La Moraleja II.
“Getting back into the top 50 is the only reason I am here,” stated Poulter. “I’m 53 in the world and just outside the top 20 on the Order of Merit. I want to play in the Amex in a couple of weeks and I am here to win. If I can get in that tournament then I could have a massive finish to the end of the year.
“I am not in that event just now and that is annoying me. If I can play well tomorrow and then at the Amex then it only takes a couple of weeks to turn it into a very very good season. I played well at the US Open and the US PGA and the NEC so it is close. It has been so close and it will happen.
“The fact I haven’t made a bogey this week is why I have a four shot lead here. I would think most guys have made a few and I have kept them off the card. When I have made I mistake then I have got myself out of it pretty well and I am rolling the ball really well. That makes a massive difference.”
Gonzalez posted his third successive 67 of the week to move to 15 under and into second place, with Sweden’s Christian L Nilsson and Scotsman Gary Orr a further stroke back after respective third round scores of 68 and 70.
It was a day of mixed fortunes for the Ryder Cup trio of Darren Clarke, Padraig Harrington and José Maria Olazábal.
Clarke continued to strike the ball well but found his putter was still misbehaving as he carded a 69 to move to seven under, while overnight leader Harrington had something of a roller coaster third round, putting together an eagle, five birdies, seven pars, three bogeys and two double bogeys in the most unconventional of level par 72s to remain on 12 under.
Olazábal, meanwhile, got to drive back to his hotel in a brand new Saab 9-3 convertible car after holing in one on the par three 13th. The Spaniard’s perfect eight iron from 156 yards helped him to shoot a third round of 68, taking him to eight under par for the tournament.
