Very comfortable during almost all of the 3rd round on Saturday in Rome, the Frenchman Victor Perez held off Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick before giving way on the last two holes. He will start on Sunday two strokes behind the Englishman, who is now alone in the lead again, one stroke ahead of the world number 2!
It is with the audacity and the panache of Victor Perez that we owe most of the show on Saturday on the Marco Simone course in Rome. Unfortunately, the Frenchman did not finish his day as he had hoped, starting twice at fault on the last two holes.
Great host at the start of the day with 4 birdies in 7 holes, the Tarbais then alternated the good, even the very good and the less good.
To retain only the positive let us obviously point out this spectacular eagle at 16, a small par 4 reachable from the start, and on which the French number 1 returned a putt of 23 meters, which had nothing to envy to the series of “strings ” of his victory at the Dutch Open at the end of May!
76ft 6in!!
What a putt @v_perez2 ???? #DS79OpendItalia pic.twitter.com/gqHQvIXkOZ
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) September 17, 2022
Reinvigorated after this feat which erased his double bogey on the 14th in one fell swoop, Perez took three putts on the 17th and committed a sin of greed on the 18th.
Thinking he was able to reach the 18-in-2 green from the first cut of rough, the Frenchman grabbed his driver but his shot only traveled 45 meters. An error synonymous with the fourth bogey of the day and a drop to 4th place.
The same place where he had started this incredible “roller coaster” day.
Preceded by Rory McIlroy, Aaron Rai et Matt Fitzpatrick, Perez will start Sunday at 12:19 p.m. in the penultimate game alongside the American Kurt Kitayama and the Australian Lucas Herbert.
Top 10
The other French
©European Tour
