Hoey five back as Howell and Morrison reign in Spain

David Howell. Picture © Getty Images

Michael Hoey is five shots behind English pair David Howell and James Morrison entering the final round of the Open de España at Real Club de Golf El Prat.

As the English pair both overcame double bogeys on day three, Hoey had four bogeys and a birdie in a three over 75 to fall back to tied seventh on two under, five strokes behind the leaders.

On another day of strong winds and fast greens in Barcelona, Morrison set the pace with a four under par 68 and was joined on seven under for the week when Howell pitched to a couple of feet at the last to complete a third round 69.

Morrison had double bogeyed the par five second, but stormed back with seven birdies and a single dropped shot on the 17th, while Howell also had seven gains, along with two bogeys and a double bogey five on the short eighth after his first tee shot couldn’t be found in undergrowth beyond the green after he misjudged the wind direction.

Italy’s Francesco Molinari lies third on five under par after a round of 70, with Emiliano Grillo and Darren Fichardt a shot further back.

Overnight leader Edouard Espana could only manage a 76 as he dropped to sixth on three under, one ahead of a resurgent Sergio Garcia.

Seemingly heading for an early exit when his second round 72 left him three over par and outside the top 80 yesterday lunchtime, a brutal afternoon session saw him make the cut with a shot to spare and he took advantage with a third round 67 which saw him climb into a share of seventh on two under par.

Peter Lawrie missed the cut by one while Damien McGrane was disqualified when he was well outside the mark playing the 17th and a backhanded tap-in attempt went wrong and he hit his own foot and didn't give his marker a score. 

209 D Howell (Eng) 71 69 69, J Morrison  (Eng) 70 71 68,

211 F Molinari (Ita) 72 69 70,

212 D Fichardt (RSA) 66 73 73, E Grillo (Arg) 70 70 72,

213 E Espana (Fra) 68 69 76,

214 B Hebert  (Fra) 71 70 73, B An (Kor) 72 70 72, J Campillo (Esp) 74 70 70, S Garcia  (Esp) 75 72 67, M Hoey  (Nir) 71 68 75, R Gonzalez (Arg) 69 69 76,

215 M Ford (Eng) 67 76 72, J Parry (Eng) 68 73 74, M Jiménez (Esp) 72 71 72,

216 T Fisher Jnr (RSA) 65 78 73, Y Yang (Kor) 73 71 72, M Fitzpatrick  (Eng) 72 71 73, S Kjeldsen (Den) 70 76 70, G Havret  (Fra) 71 71 74,

217 M Korhonen (Fin) 71 73 73, G Bourdy (Fra) 69 73 75, B Evans  (Eng) 73 73 71, P Maddy (Eng) 70 70 77, P Larrazábal (Esp) 71 73 73, E De La Riva  (Esp) 66 77 74, D Horsey (Eng) 69 77 71, T Aiken (RSA) 74 71 72.