Garcia in the mix as Westwood fades
Sergio Garcia is just one shot off the lead heading into the final round of the CIMB Classic in Malaysia, but Ryder Cup team-mate Lee Westwood fell well off the pace on Saturday.
Garcia held the outright lead when he followed a flawless front nine of 32 with his fifth birdie of the day on the 10th, but dropped his only shot of the day on the next and did well to salvage a par on the 14th after trying to drive the green and coming up short in the water.
A third round of 68 left the Spaniard on 11 under par, one behind defending champion Ryan Moore and fellow American Kevin Na, who both shot 67 at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.
“It’s unfortunate I didn’t feel quite as sharp as the first two days,” Garcia said. “It got to be a long day with the weather delay but the good thing is we got done and I am looking forward to tomorrow.
“On 14 I just missed it a little bit and the wind switched on me but I made a great four which kept the round going.”
Moore, who beat compatriot Gary Woodland in a play-off 12 months ago, said: “It’s great deja vu because I am in a similar position to last year. I played good, solid golf the last two days.
“[The course] challenges every aspect of your game. You have to put it in position off the tee and hit a lot of different shots off hanging lies. It makes you hit golf shots, you can’t just go out there and make golf swings.”
Westwood, who fired a hole-in-one on the 11th in a second round of 65, was looking to complete a unique double by winning on the PGA Tour and European Tour on the same course in the same season following his Malaysian Open victory in April.
However, after three birdies in the first five holes on Saturday the former world number one bogeyed the sixth and then struggled home in 40 to card a disappointing 74. At five under par, the 41-year-old had drifted seven shots off the pace.
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