Battle Of The Kids: Matteo, Jordan Edition
/Matteo Manassero shares the lead heading into Sunday at Wentworth but as Lawrence Donegan notes, this one could be much bigger than his previous Euro Tour wins.
Manassero has already won twice in his short professional career, in Spain last October and again in Malaysia last month, but this week's tournament truly is big boy stuff. Seven of the world's top 10 are in the field, along with all but one of last year's victorious Ryder team (Padraig Harrington is absent through injury). Meanwhile, the West Course has fulfilled Ernie Els's hopes that it would offer a challenge to match the notoriously difficult US Open.
Meanwhile Jordan Spieth holds onto hope of contending Sunday at the Nelson after high winds wreaked havoc with the leaderboard and left the 17-year-old T8, just four shots back of some veterans who will be tough to pass. Still, he's got a shot. From the AP:
Spieth (pronounced SPEE-th) had another bogey at No. 9 when he hit another fairway bunker, then found a greenside bunker before blasting to 5 feet. After an 11-foot birdie on No. 10, his first tee shot at No. 11 went out of bounds and he had a double bogey 6.
"On four or five holes today I made four or five swings where I wasn't ready to hit me. And it cost me five shots," he said. "But, you know, I'm happy today the ball is rolling on the greens and my putter is keeping me in this and helping me. Maybe one of these rounds I'll find a way to not make any bogeys."
With winds were sustained at 25 mph with gusts near 40, it was a tough day for scoring. There were only eight under-par rounds among 74 players, the best a 3-under 67.