Ryan Fox advances masked in Antwerp. Roussel four shots from the New Zealander…

Sixth Friday evening, two lengths behind the leaders, Ryan Fox took advantage of a difficult Moving Day for the leading men to take control of the Soudal Open thanks to a very solid card of 66 (-5). At -11 (202), he is ahead of the Englishman Sam Horsfield (69) by one point and the German Yannik Paul (68) by two. Also author of a splendid 66, Robin Roussel (photo) gained 32 places on the leaderboard. Here he is 8th at -7 (206). Within driving range of the Kiwi golfer…

L.V.

We thought that this 3rd round of Soudal Open au Rinkven International Golf Club d’Anvers was to come down to a duel between English golfers. Co-leaders at -8 after 36 holes (with German Matti Schmid), Dale Whitnell et Sam Horsfield indeed started their day with a bang.

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Three birdies for the first city on holes 1, 2 and 5 in the last part. Ditto for the second at holes 3, 4 and 6 in the penultimate part. The 100% British duo then pranced in the lead at -11 before things got seriously complicated. Especially for Whitnell, still looking for a first success on the DP World Tour.

Two bogeys almost in quick succession for Horsfield on pars 4 of the 7th and 9th. Bogey also on the 9th for Whitnell who then sounded the beginning of his disillusionment confirmed from the 10th with a double-bogey then another on the very delicate hole n °14 in right dogleg with a nice piece of water along this very narrow fairway.

After 9 holes: 1 shot behind the leader
After 11 holes: leads by 2 shots@hr59sam has taken advantage. #SoudalOpen pic.twitter.com/VhqLte7OPa

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) May 14, 2022

Despite a final birdie on the 16th, he signed a difficult 72 (+1) which forced him to drop to 7th place at -7. Horsfield, he, caddyed by his girlfriend, is doing a little better. After his two big mistakes (a face-off under the trees on 7th then a bad three putts on 9th), he managed to reverse this dangerous spiral by slamming a single birdie on 11th (against eight pars).

His 69 (-2) made him lose however for one point the command of the tournament in favor of a Ryan Foxdiscreet but devilishly effective with his 66 (-5) built mainly on the return with no less than five birdies slammed, including three from 15 to 18.

21 birdies in 54 holes ????@ryanfoxgolfer leads the way with 18 holes to play.#SoudalOpen pic.twitter.com/niynTBaSks

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) May 14, 2022

The New Zealander, 35, winner of the Ras Al Khaimah Classic on February 13 but also 9th in Catalunya Championship May 1st and 8th last week at British Masters, takes the tournament lead at -11 (202). The son of the legendary All Black Grant Fox will play in the last game this Sunday with this same Sam Horsfield. Departure at 1:45 p.m.!

Roussel still in the game…

On the French side, we were expecting the two Victors this Saturday, Dubuisson et Perezat the gates of the top 20 on Friday evening (21st at -4, four lengths behind the leaders) but by playing 73 (+2) and 70 (-1) respectively, their hope of victory has clearly gone.

Unlike a Robin Roussel found. Only 40th halfway through at -2 total, the golfer from Ozoir-la-Ferrière (77), in search of precious points, distinguished himself by signing a superb 66 (seven birdies, two bogeys). It’s only his third card in the 60 in 23 rounds played this season (after his 69 in the 2nd round at Qatar Masters, and his 68 Thursday here in Belgium). By advancing 32 places on the leaderboard and occupying 8th place at -7 (206), the Frenchman is only four lengths behind Fox…

Lev Grinberg dévisse

Heroes of this Soudal Open 2022the first tournament on Belgian soil since Belgian Knockout 2019the young Lev Grinberg, 14 years old only, had a very complicated Saturday, cashing a very heavy 76 (+5). 29th at -3 twenty-four hours ago, the Ukrainian amateur, a member here at Rinkven International GC, is now in 59th place at +2. It’s the job that comes in!

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Photo : Richard Heathcote/Getty Images