Antalya, Turkey – A feisty George Coetzee holed a big putt for a birdie three at the final hole on Saturday en route to a six-birdie 66 to put himself back in contention in the $7-million Turkish Airlines Open – for second place, that is.
“Look, I’ll need a course record to have any hope of catching Olesen but at least I’m in the mix for a high finish,” said Coetzee, referring to Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen, who has a seven-shot lead on 18-under-par 195 with rounds of 65, 62 and yesterday’s 68.
Coetzee started the day on five-under 137 on the superb par-71 Carya course at the Regnum Carya Resort, but his five-under 66 had him at minus-10 203 and just one shot back of Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger, American David Lipsky, China’s Li Haotong, England’s David Horsey and Italy’s Matteo Manassero.
“I’m really happy with the way I played today and I’m pleased I was able to make up the shots I gave away yesterday,” said the 30-year-old in reference to the calamitous quadruple bogey eight he suffered at the treacherous par-four 10th hole in Friday’s second round after twice finding water there.
He would sign for a disappointing 73 that saw him fall off the leaderboard after he had set the first-round pace on Thursday with a day’s best 64.
Yesterday Coetzee birdied holes four, seven, 11, 12, 15 and 18, with his only bogey of the day coming at No 8, a tricky par-three.
“I should have birdied the first and third holes as well because I hit it really close on those holes but missed the putts. Then again, at No 4 I knocked in a huge putt, like 50 feet, for birdie. You win some and lose some, but overall I’m very pleased with my golf.
“My back nine was solid (he was four under on the par-37 loop) and while I was happy to birdie 11, 12 and 15, I really wanted one more and to hole that big one at the last (caddie Alan Burns measured it to be 26 feet) kind of made my day,” said the Pretoria Country Club golfer who has had a tough 2016 season after he broke his ankle in a surfing accident last September.
That set his golf back and he has spent this whole year trying to rebuild his swing and regain his best form.
Fellow South African Justin Walters signed for a 68 yesterday to be inside the top 20 on 206, while Darren Fichardt had a 67 for 210.
The only other South African under par was SA Open champion Brandon Stone on one-under 212 following a 71.
Thomas Aiken (67) is on level-par 213, as is Richard Sterne after a 72. Jaco van Zyl, second in this tournament last year, has struggled this time and is on six-over 219 after a 71, while Haydn Porteous shot 74 yesterday for 222.
– Grant Winter is covering the Turkish Airlines Open as a guest of the airline.