Matthieu Pavon and Thomas Pieters will share a four-shot lead heading into the final round of the Portugal Masters after they both fired rounds of 65 on an enthralling third day at Dom Victoria Golf Course.
Both men started the day two shots off the lead but left the field trailing after a tale of two nines in Vilamoura.
Pavon turned in 31 and led by three after 10 holes but it was Pieters who finished strongly, coming home in 30 with a birdie-birdie finish to match him at 16 under.
Dane Lucas Bjerregaard was then at 12 under after a 69, a shot clear of Swede Kristoffer Broberg, who carded a 66.
Big-hitting Belgian Pieters is a four-time European Tour winner, with two of those victories – at the 2015 and 2019 D+D Real Czech Masters – coming after he held the lead after 54 holes.
The 2016 Ryder Cup star has been a picture of consistency on the 2021 Race to Dubai, making 12 of 15 cuts with three top 10s, and is looking for a first victory since his second triumph in Prague two years ago.
For a back nine of 30 and the outright lead…@Thomas_Pieters 👏#PortugalMasters pic.twitter.com/9OqF7zbOdE
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 6, 2021
“The front nine was really tough with the wind,” he said. “We got lucky, it just kind of died down on the back nine but the front nine was brutal.
“I putted well, I gave myself plenty of chances and it’s nice to walk off with a putt like that.
“It’s nice to be 16 under … hopefully I’ll have a chance tomorrow.”
Frenchman Pavon is searching for a first European Tour victory in his 133rd appearance, with a lead after three rounds for the first time on Tour.
In control on the greens!
@mattpavon takes the lead in Portugal. #PortugalMasters pic.twitter.com/UFTPwy61rW
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 6, 2021
“I tried to hit as many greens as possible,” he said. “I focused on every shot, tried to hit every shot like it was the most important in my life.
“My focus was really good and narrow today compared to yesterday, so I will try to bring this mentality with me tomorrow.”
Pavon put his second to 10 feet at the fourth for a gain and when he holed a 20 footer on the par-three 6th, he was in a share of the lead.
The 29-year-old was enjoying an excellent day with the putter and an effort from 35 feet on the eighth gave him the lead and another 20 footer on the 9th had him turn in 31 and lead by two.
The advantage was soon three but he missed a very short one for a three-putt on the 11th and the gap was just one.
Pieters had made birdies at the 2nd, 4th and 7th but a ragged second at the 5th led to a double-bogey and a dropped shot on the 3rd meant he turned in level par.
An approach to four feet at the 10th had him starting the back nine in style and he found the green in two at the par-five 12th and rolled home from 23 feet for an eagle and a share of the lead.
Pavon made his birdie on the par five but Pieters left himself four feet at the 14th and then got up and down on the driveable par four next to hit the front on his own.
The lead was shared again after Pieters missed the green at the par-three 16th but Pavon pounced at the 15th from 14 feet despite a poor chip and then holed from a similar distance at the next to lead by two.
Pieters was not done, however, and he two putted the par-five 17th from 70 feet for a birdie and holed a 25 foot left-to-righter on the last to once again share the lead.
Another very short miss from Pavon led to a second three putt of the day but a stunning approach to the last left him 12 feet for a closing birdie.
After a bogey on the third, Bjerregaard followed the lead of playing partner Pavon by birdieing the two par threes on the front nine, putting his tee shot to six feet on the 6th and holing a 12-footer on the 8th. An approach to five feet on the 10th had him two back and he took advantage of the 12th before finding the water at the 17th for a bogey.
Broberg carded six birdies and a single bogey in his round to sit a shot ahead of Dane Nicolai Højgaard and England’s Sam Horsfield.
Italian Nino Bertasio, English pair Richard Bland and Callum Shinkwin and Frenchman Benjamin Hebert were at nine under.
– Report from europeantour.com
