Callum Tarren (-13) has maintained the lead in the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship after the third round, having signed a par card for the day (72). The problem for the Englishman, who at times seemed to be sealing the tournament (he was three under for the day after seven holes), is that he will start tomorrow in the final round without a safety net, with just a three-shot margin over a dozen contenders and four over nearly twenty. This happened after experiencing a mini crisis from the tee and his putter cooling off. Additionally, there are four contenders right behind him, just one shot back. One of them is Pablo Larrazábal (-12). The other three are Daniel Brown (-12), Francesco Laporta (-12), and Brandon Robinson Thompson (-12). It goes without saying that, of all those at the top, the Spaniard is the one with the most experience and shots in these types of situations, although it is well known that this circumstance is not definitive by any means.
At the end of a round, and even when talking about players of great calibre, there are quite a few short putts that fail to drop. Also, precisely because of the high level of play, there are not few medium and long-distance putts that end up in the hole. One thing for another, as they say. But Larrazábal’s case today was particularly striking. He missed up to five putts from distances of two metres or less, two of them to save par on holes 1 and 2 (these were less than one and a half metres away), and three more for birdie (holes 6, 7, and 10). Additionally, he also missed another that was less than two and a half metres, also for birdie (hole 4). In return, he holed a putt of about five metres to sign a superb birdie on hole 15, which has been by far the most difficult at the Royal Golf Club of Bahrain all week. One thing for another? The truth is that the numbers don’t add up as they should this time: despite that hesitant start on the first two holes of the course, the truth is that Larrazábal could very well be the clear leader of the tournament right now, but even so, there he is, the Barcelona native, once again in search of a victory on the European circuit, which would be his tenth. Not even 0.5 percent of the professionals who once fulfilled their dream of playing on the European circuit have access to that club…
To leave all those options open, you have to play great golf, that’s very clear. Pablo has looked sharp and very focused, even without the help of one of his lifelong allies, the wind, which usually affects others more than him. Today he didn’t make his first birdie, on hole 5, until he practically left it given, but he never lost the thread, with a very clear idea of the tournament situation. It’s pure delight to watch this absolutely unique and inimitable player navigate the golf course when he adapts to this version, which has happened many times throughout his extensive career. He always finds one more incentive, a way to come back, or not to leave, which is not exactly the same. His career and his golf have, even if only for the festive part, a similarity with the party-goer who always finds the penultimate bar open or an excuse not to leave the party.
Pablo will go out tomorrow in the penultimate match of the day, alongside the Italian Laporta, but he is not the only option for Spanish golf. Iván Cantero (-10) also has something to say, after completing another excellent round of golf and despite finishing with a bogey on the 18th that really stings. The Asturian is realising that regularly competing for tournaments is not only not impossible, but it is almost an ‘obligation’ for a player with his resources.
Jorge Campillo (-9) is also not off the radar of contenders. At times, the Extremaduran was pushing and pushing in search of the star match on Sunday, especially after holing a great eagle on hole 12, but two short putts missed on holes 12, for par, and 13, for birdie, threw him off rhythm, and a double bogey on 14 ended up tarnishing a round that was much better than the final 71 he handed in.
We could even include, with a great round, Rafa Cabrera Bello (-8) in the fight, as he starts five shots off the lead. In any case, this week in Bahrain can already be considered a long way walked in his laborious (and worked) process of complete rehabilitation.
