Marcus Fraser will take a one shot lead into the final round of the 70° Open d’Italia Lindt, after a flawless third round of 68 at the Golf Club Torino. The Australian, who came into this week ranked 48th in the Race to Dubai, will be seeking his third victory on the European Tour on Sunday. However, the 35-year-old will face stiff resistance from a talented chasing pack that includes Ryder Cup stars Nicolas Colsaerts, and home favourite Francesco Molinari, who are just a shot back of the likeable Aussie.
Fraser, whose last win came at the Ballantine’s Championship three years ago, saw his round sparked into life after chipping in for birdie on the sixth. He would then birdie the ninth and 10th, with another following at the 12th, before he finished with six pars to complete a blemish free four-under round of 68. Despite coming from another hemisphere, Fraser feels comfortable on a Turin course that reminds him of what he used to face back at home.
“It's similar to what I grew up on before I moved to Melbourne,” said the Australian, who lost a play-off in the Ballantine's Championship to compatriot Brett Rumford back in April.
”I grew up on a very tight, tree-lined golf course with tiny little greens and the emphasis was on getting it in play and hitting little shots around the greens and that's exactly what this demands. I think it's a brilliant golf course and wish we could play it every week of the year.”
Coming into Saturday, attention, as it has been all week, was fully placed upon on the shoulders of Francesco Molinari. The 30-year-old became a member at this course 22 years ago, and he has had to deal with the added expectation of performing before fans in his hometown. In the end, the two-time Ryder Cup player settled for a conservative third round of 71, which keeps him just one shot off the lead with the potential of a magical Sunday ahead.
“It was a different round compared to the first two,” Molinari said. “I didn't put the ball as close as the first two days but it could probably have easily been my first bogey-free round; I was just a bit unlucky on nine to find a piece of mud behind the ball.
”I could have been a bit more aggressive but there is still tomorrow to do that. I am still up there and will try to do well tomorrow.”
In 2006, Molinari became the first Italian to win the event in 26 years. With that experience behind him, he knows that he can handle the pressure of winning his national open, but he admits that the support he has received this week is unsurpassed.
“It's crazy. I haven't seen that many people here in Italy ever. It's fantastic and they are all rooting for me. Maybe today they weren't as happy as the first two days but I will try to give them some more joy tomorrow.”
Tied with Molinari his is former Ryder Cup teammate Nicolas Colsaerts, who three-putted the 18th to fall out of a tie for the lead with Fraser.
”I played okay, missed a few chances and missed the one on the last so 70 is probably what I deserved,” said the Belgian who had to withdraw from the KLM Open last week due to flu. “I am not as close to the flags as I want to be because I am not in as much control as I want to be.
”Sometimes I have short irons in and am not getting it as close as I want to but I am putting okay and it showed on the first day (when he shot 65) you can go low.”
21-year-old Joakim Lagergren shot through the field on Saturday after a thrilling round of 67. He would record just seven pars on his card, with the Swede producing a colourful display of eight birdies and three bogeys. At 10-under, he will find himself in the final group alongside Fraser and Colsaerts as he seeks his maiden victory on the Tour.
17 players are all within four shots of the lead, with joint-36-hole leaders Simon Thornton and Felipe Aguilar two back of Fraser at nine-under. Former champion Hennie Otto is at eight-under alongside Ricardo Gonzalez, with a large group that includes BMW PGA champion Matteo Manassero at seven-under. Also on that number is Renato Paratore, the 16-year-old Italian amateur.
Paratore is one of the truly great stories of this week, which could yet culminate with an Italian winner in Turin.