Fitzpatrick tried to play down the importance of the occasion in Sunday’s final round of the British Masters, an event that has been on the European Tour since 1972 and is back on the schedule this season for the first time in seven years.
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Fitzpatrick played down comparisons between his game and that of Donald, but the pair do share a common link in Northwestern University, although Donald completed a degree in art history and practice while Fitzpatrick dropped out after a single term. Fitzpatrick, though, dismissed a suggestion that their games are similar.
His caddie, Damian Moore, has also been hit, but he, too, was hopeful of reporting for duty as the Ryder Cup player launched his title bid in the company of Thai star Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Alexander Levy from France. “I could have stood there for one or two days and I still don’t think I’d have made the putt on the 14th”, he said with a huge smile on his face.
“The break was more than 10 feet, it was downhill and fast”, he said.
“At the 17th and 16th they were very hard putts and I couldn’t make them but I just look forward to playing tomorrow”. “It wasn’t that easy out there today”, he said after a 69. Zanotti didn’t seem to have many problems on the surfaces as he stormed into contention with a 66 that was illuminated by an eagle at the seventh.
But the round of the day came from Luke Donald who fired a flawless 65 to sit alongside Lowry on nine under par. “It’s been a little bit of a dry period for me, I haven’t won for a couple of years but I would dearly love to get back in that winner’s circle”.
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Gallacher finished joint-19th behind Dane Thorbjorn Olesen at St Andrews – his best performance since he was third in defending the Dubai Desert Classic title in February. A top-30 finish tonight would do the trick, and it’s possible after signing for a six-birdie 69 to sit joint-48th on two-under. “But I’m taking antibiotics and I should be okay for the first round tomorrow”.
