Three former amateur starlets will battle it out in the final group at the ALLIANZ Open de Lyon as Scotland’s Lloyd Saltman takes the lead into the final day, a shot clear of fellow former Walker Cup player Sam Hutsby and record-breaking ex-US Amateur Champion Byeong-hun An.
All three are chasing a first title on the European professional circuit and will play together at Golf de Gouverneur in search of the biggest win of their respective careers. Saltman, the former English Amateur Open Stroke Play Champion who twice represented Great Britain and Ireland in the Walker Cup, leads the way after a second successive three under par round of 68 which moved him to the front on ten under.
After entering the day three shots off the lead, the Edinburgh man birdied the par three third hole before bogeying the seventh – thanks to a difficult lie in the rough for his approach – to reach the turn in level par.
The determined 27 year old, who would significantly boost his chances of qualifying for the season-ending Apulia San Domenico Grand Final with a win this weekend, came out with all guns blazing on the more testing back nine and back to back birdies at the 12th and 13th followed by another gained shot at the last elevated him to the top of the leaderboard.
“It was a great back nine today because it’s the tougher nine I would say,” said Saltman.
The determined 27 year old, who would significantly boost his chances of qualifying for the season-ending Apulia San Domenico Grand Final with a win this weekend, came out with all guns blazing on the more testing back nine and back to back birdies at the 12th and 13th followed by another gained shot at the last elevated him to the top of the leaderboard.
“It was a great back nine today because it’s the tougher nine I would say,” said Saltman.
“It was a bit breezier today and I didn’t really get a chance on the front nine. I said to (brother and caddy) Zack, I want to be leading after today, so we just said ‘be patient’ and then we were joking about it when I hit it close at the 18th – it all worked out. “It was pleasing and a good day’s golf. The focus this week has really been to play to win and I’m in a great position so I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s challenge. “I had a good record as an amateur and I’ve won a few smaller tournaments as a pro but I just haven’t done it on the big stage yet. I’ve had a second and a third place on the Challenge Tour but it would be really nice to get my first win here in Lyon. “I feel really comfortable out there and I’m really looking forward to tomorrow, seeing what’s thrown at me and trying to handle it as best I can.”
