Kingdom Awaits Scotsman's Next Shot

TDT | Manama

Email : hussainm@newsofbahrain.com

Scotland’s Calum Hill held his nerve during yesterday’s third round at the BAPCO Energies Bahrain Championship, maintaining a slim advantage at the top of the leaderboard as the tournament moves to its decisive stage today.

Hill signed for a level-par 72 at Royal Golf Club to remain 16 under par, a contrast to the brilliance of his earlier rounds but a score that underlined his growing maturity in contention. While momentum briefly swung away from him early in the round, the Scot steadied himself on a demanding setup that tested patience as much as precision.

“I actually felt like I played quite nicely,” Hill said. “I just had a few errors in there and misjudged a couple of putts early on that put me behind a little bit. I managed to come back on the back nine and put myself in a good position.”

With pins tucked and subtle winds complicating approaches, Hill acknowledged it was not a day for chasing numbers. “Honestly, it was really tricky on and around the greens. It didn’t feel like a day where, personally, I could shoot really low,” he added, noting that simply regaining level par by the end of the round felt like a small victory in itself.

Germany’s Freddy Schott ensured the pressure remains firmly on the leader after closing the gap to two shots. Schott carded a steady two-under-par 70 to move to 14 under overall, briefly drawing level with Hill early in the round as the Scot found his rhythm.

“I didn’t think about it too much being four shots behind,” Schott said. “I just thought it might be a two-day thing. All of a sudden, we were there together.” Despite a late three-putt on the final green, the German remained upbeat, adding: “It was a good day. We’ll just keep doing what we’re doing.”

Behind the leading pair, the chasing pack tightened considerably. Patrick Reed surged into contention with one of the standout performances of the day, firing a six-under-par 66 to reach 12 under. The American, fresh from victory at last week’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic, suddenly looks a serious factor once again.

Sharing third place with Reed is Spain’s Sergio Garcia, who continued his upward trajectory with a four-under round that reflected improving confidence in his game. “Today I played better than yesterday,” Garcia said. “I felt like I hit the ball better, got off to a nice start, and in the middle of the round I started getting hot.” Although several putts refused to drop late on, the former Masters champion left the course encouraged by his progress.

Scotland’s Grant Forrest also remains firmly in the mix at 12 under after a five-under effort, further underlining the depth of contention heading into the closing chapter.

With defending champion Laurie Canter drifting down the standings and 2024 winner Dylan Frittelli already eliminated earlier in the week, the championship is guaranteed to produce a new winner. Hill, however, remains calm about the task ahead.

“If at the start of the week you said I’d have a couple of shots going into Sunday, I’d be delighted,” he said. “I’m in control of what happens. If I play half-decent, I give myself a good chance.”

Held under the patronage of HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the championship has continued to draw strong crowds, with spectators once again filling the Royal Golf Club and the Championship Village, adding to the sense that a memorable conclusion awaits in the Kingdom.