(Reuters) – Former Masters champion Danny Willett produced an impressive bogey-free round of six-under 66 to claim a three-shot lead at the end of the third round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on Saturday.
The Englishman finished the day at 14-under for the tournament, ahead of overnight leader Tyrrell Hatton, who started brightly with four birdies in the opening five holes before letting his advantage slip with three successive bogeys on the back nine to end with a one-under 71.
Hatton was tied for second place with the trio of Shane Lowry, Richard Bland and John Murphy, all of whom made the most of friendly scoring conditions at the Old Course at St Andrews.
The Old Course will play host to the final round on Sunday after being used in rotation — alongside Carnoustie and Kingsbarns — for the first three days of the event.
Former British Open winner Lowry, who featured in Europe’s Ryder Cup defeat at Whistling Straits last week, looked in superb touch as he fired five birdies on the front nine that included a 24-foot putt on the second to finish with a five-under 67.
Willett is gunning for his first win on the European tour in over two years, while Hatton would make three victories at the same tournament if he prevails on Sunday, having previously held aloft the trophy in 2016 and 2017.
(Reporting by Dhruv Munjal in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)
