Toe to toe, putt for putt - Justin Rose and Lucas Bjerregaard set up final-day showdown at Hong Kong Open
Both golfers played out a dramatic third round to share the lead at 15-under 195
Saturday is known as moving day in the golfing world but Justin Rose refused to let Lucas Bjerregaard edge forward an inch at the US$2 million UBS Hong Kong Open, and the pair have turned for home locked at 15-under-par and four shots clear of their closest competitor.
“It was a great day,” said Rose after he walked off the course after a round where each player landed hits but not a knockout blow, with a 64 for the Englishman and a tournament-best 63 for the Dane to leave them tied as the tournament turning to Sunday.
“We had a fun day out there sort of flip-flopping birdies,” said the 35-year-old Rose.
“I felt like at one point, I was just trying to stay with him. And it was nice. We separated from the field a little bit and by no means is no one else in the golf tournament, but it's nice that Lucas and I can go and try and put it away tomorrow.”
WATCH: Rose and Bjerregaard in action and their post-round interviews
I felt like at one point, I was just trying to stay with him. And it was nice. We separated from the field a little bit and by no means is no one else in the golf tournament
The English world number seven had started the day with a one-stroke lead and an eagle-three on the par-five third to Bjerregaard’s birdie had edged him one-stroke further in front.
The 24-year-old Bjerregaard later got hot around the turn, with four straight birdies that took him to a two-stroke lead.
Rose then held his nerve – and perhaps saved the day - by draining a 30-footer for an eagle on the par-five 13th to turn up the heat once again. He birdied the par-four 14th to catch Bjerregaard at 15-under but the battle wasn’t over and the large gallery was getting breathless.
Bjerregaard birdied the 13th but overreached – slightly – trying to recover from a wayward tee shot on the 18th, the ball finding the back edge of the green.
He couldn’t save par, Rose again held steady for his, and they were locked together again at the death, one stroke ahead of Indian number one Anirban Lahiri whose five-under 65 left alone in third at 11 under par.
Ranked 285th in the world coming into the tournament Bjerregaard has been the surprise everyone should have expected, given he finished tied for fifth here last year and arrived in Hong Kong with two top-10 finishes on the European Tour in the past month.
We kept making birdies and he made a birdie and then I made a birdie. It was good fun. I really enjoyed it
That bogey on the last took some of the gloss off a day he said had been one wild ride from start to finish.
“Obviously it's not fun to finish off any round with a bogey and not - especially not today,” he said. “We kept making birdies and he made a birdie and then I made a birdie. It was good fun. I really enjoyed it.
“I'm really looking forward to tomorrow and hope it's going to be more of the same. Tomorrow is the day where it all comes to an end.”
Rose has risen to the occasion of being the event’s marquee signing this year, leading by one stroke coming into the day, and having ended the first day in second place.
He said the hole-by-hole battle with Bjerregaard had ensured both players raised their games Saturday. Given the quote confidence both players oozed when leaving the course we can expect more of the same as this tournament heads towards its finale. It was left to Rose to fire the parting shot.
“You're seeing good shots, your own good shots and someone else's good shots. It kind of keeps you believing there's lots of birdies to be had out there,” said Rose.
“We sort of play a similar game, too. We hit the ball a fairly similar distance off the tee and I could club off him, as well. Having played with him today, I feel like at least I've learned his game a little bit which can help tomorrow, too.”
