British Masters: Sharma falters as Penge, Hillier share the lead
Synopsis
Shubhankar Sharma managed an even-par 72 in the third round of the British Masters, falling to T-33. Marco Penge and Daniel Hiller share the lead at 11-under heading into the final day's play, which was suspended due to fading light.
Sharma Falters in Third Round
Shubhankar Sharma was unable to build on his first two good rounds as he managed only an even par 72 despite four birdies in the third round of the British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo. The 29-year-old Sharma had four birdies, two on either side of the Belfry, but he also had two bogeys and a double bogey. With a total of 4-under for 54 holes, he was down to T-33 after being T-13 at the halfway stage.
Penge and Hillier Share Lead After Marathon Saturday
Marco Penge and Daniel Hiller shared the lead heading into the final round. Events at The Belfry have been disrupted by weather all week, but there were no delays on Saturday as the second round was completed and the final group reached the sixth in the third. In that final group were Penge and Hillier at 11 under, and they both returned at 7.00 am to face 30 holes of golf.
When the hooter sounded, they were both looking at birdie putts on the sixth green, with Penge 23 feet from the hole and Hillier ten feet closer. Northern Ireland's Tom McKibbin was a shot back, having completed the sixth, with Paraguayan Fabrizio Zanotti and South African Shaun Norris at nine under playing the eighth and sixth, respectively.
Home hero Penge and Kiwi Hillier had both completed their final four holes of round two early on Saturday morning, with Penge dropping a shot and Hillier getting home in level par. That gave Penge a one-shot lead after 36 holes.
Third Round Duel Sees Lead Exchange Hands
Hillier, meanwhile, who is looking for a second win at this event after his triumph in 2023, showed no signs of rust as he played his first event since The Open after a month back home in New Zealand. When the duo got their third rounds under way at 6.31 pm, Penge's one-shot lead was soon extended to two as he holed an 18-footer on the first, but just as soon as it had grown, it had gone.
He went over the green and failed to get up and down on the next as Hillier put an approach to tap-in range, and the 28-year-old was in front when he made a two-putt birdie on the par-five next as Penge saved par after finding the water. An approach to tap-in range of his own had Penge back level on the fourth, and both men parred the fifth before the hooter sounded as the light faded in the Midlands.