Nineteen under par in two days. Yes, you’ve guessed it, he’s the leader of the Ras al Khaimah Championship. This is the outrageous performance that Thorbjorn Olesen (-22) has put on during the second and third day of the tournament. Today he had to ‘settle’ for a scorecard of 63 strokes to break away in the lead. He’s in the lead and has opened a huge gap that we’ll see if it’s not definitive. It looks like it might be, given who he is and the course he’s playing on. It’s hard not to imagine Olesen signing off on Sunday with an ‘easy’ two or three under par. In that case, it would make the chase for everyone else a tall order.
Olesen scored nine under par at the Al Hamra Golf Club today because he played wonderfully and, above all, because he putted like an angel. He interpreted better than anyone the change that the greens have undergone from one day to the next. More wind was expected today (and it blew, although it wasn’t excessive) and the tournament decided not to cut the grass. Conclusion: higher surfaces, somewhat slower and, above all, more treacherous, with the blades of grass having a much greater influence on the roll of the ball. Olesen was able to take advantage of almost every opportunity he had, with many putts between two and four meters, putting the finishing touch with a great birdie on the 18th from almost five meters.
As it stands, Olesen will start this Sunday with a four-stroke lead over Rasmus Hojgaard (-18), who saved two pars on the wire on holes 17 and 18 (putts of six and five meters each, on the last hole after visiting the water off the tee), six over Frederic Lacroix (-16) and seven over Ángel Hidalgo (-15), Brandon Stone (-15) and Marcus Helligkilde (-15). One stroke further back is Manu Elvira (-14), who has held on in the top 10 with a modest scorecard of par on the moving day.
In reality, Hidalgo and Elvira may have a chance of victory tomorrow, but they are in Olesen’s hands. First, the Dane must fail, even play over par, and then they must do very well and deliver a really low result. It’s unlikely, but not impossible.
Hidalgo has once again shown this Saturday at Al Hamra that he is one of the kings of the birdie out of position. On holes 3, 8 and 18, all par 5s, he scratched three strokes off the course when things looked more like a bogey, or a hard-fought par, after the execution of the second shots. These are Angel’s bonuses. Those impossible shots that he pulls out of his sleeve and frustrate all the rivals who have the courage to stand in front of him in a match play duel. Hidalgo’s things, everyone tells you.
The 66-stroke round of the Malaga player was the second best of the day after Olesen’s 63. He signed a solitary bogey and almost copied yesterday’s round. For now, his projection in the tournament is 68, 67 and 66 strokes. If tomorrow he is able to do 65, he may not win, but he will surely be fighting for second place. As if golf were as simple as crudely applied mathematics.
Elvira managed to stay in the fight for a high final ranking in Ras al Khaimah. His game today had little or nothing to do with yesterday’s. The same thing happened to him on the moving day of the Dubai Desert Classic last week. Nothing serious, or abnormal. This is a process and Manu has only played seven tournaments on the DP World Tour. You have to learn to handle these situations of more pressure, going out in the star match of the third round, alongside two beasts like Rasmus and Callum Shinkwin. It’s about making the right reading and drawing the necessary conclusions that will allow him to continue growing and improving.
A round of par today at Al Hamra was insufficient. He has lost ground, but at least he managed to resist. He remains in seventh position, with the door open to a great performance on Sunday. In addition, on the positive side of things, we must also highlight his fighting spirit. Although the swing was not as fluid as in Friday’s 62, he knew how to fight and pull out of his hat, for example, a fabulous eagle on the 14th. He will start eight strokes behind Olesen and four from second place. Much to do still.
In general, it has been a good day for the Armada. Everyone has moved up. Jorge Campillo and Nacho Elvira, both with -9, have moved into the top 25 with rounds of 68 and 67 strokes, respectively. Sebastián García Rodríguez and Alex del Rey have moved to -8, 32nd place, after shooting 70 and 69, and Rafa Cabrera Bello (-7) has scratched almost 20 positions to place himself in the 42nd spot. Much to do and say in tomorrow’s final round.
