Jordan Smith takes one-shot lead at BMW International Open
Last Updated: 22/06/19 4:10pm
Jordan Smith carded a flawless six-under 66 to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the BMW International Open.
Smith is chasing his second European Tour win and a second in Germany after winning the 2017 European Open.
The Englishman is at 13-under 203 after three rounds, one shot ahead of compatriot Matthew Fitzpatrick and Austrian Matthias Schwab, who both shot 65.
Leaderboard
Defending champion Matt Wallace of England and Christiaan Bezuidenhout of South Africa are a shot further back.
Overnight-leader Martin Kaymer (75) had a round to forget after four bogeys left the German in a group of five players five shots behind Smith.
Bezuidenhout birdied the second from 12 feet but gave the shot straight back on the next and Smith joined him at nine under as he hit his tee shot to 10 feet on the first and holed from the fringe on the third.
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Smith then got into double figures with two putts from just off the green at the par-five sixth.
Schwab turned in 32 with birdies on the second, fifth, sixth, seventh and ninth, and a bogey on the fourth, to sit at nine under, one clear of playing-partner Fitzpatrick.
The reigning Omega European Masters champion turned in 33 with birdies on the third, fifth and ninth.
Bezuidenhout got on the green in two for a birdie at the sixth and a share of the lead but dropped back as he went a long way right off the seventh tee.
Schwab then took advantage of the par-five 11th to join the lead but that could not keep pace with Smith, who left himself a tap-in for birdie at the par-five ninth to turn in 32 and hit the front on his own at 11 under.
Bezuidenhout took advantage of the par-five ninth and got up and down at the 11th to make it a three-way tie at the top, but Schwab got up and down after driving over the par-four 16th and Smith holed a 12-footer on the 13th to edge back ahead.
A stunning approach from Smith on the 15th handed him top spot on his own once more but that was only one clear of Fitzpatrick, who produced a big finish, holing a 15-footer at the 15th, taking advantage of the driveable next and holing a long putt on the last.
