Gallacher's Making His Point

The Links Times £1.00 Daily News & Order of Play Round 4, Sunday 7 October, 2018 @dunhilllinks @alfreddunhilllinks Gallacher's making his point The Scot moves to within three shots of Tyrrell Hatton, who is chasing a historic treble at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, as a late stumble from Tommy Fleetwood stalls the Ryder Cup star’s charge on the Old Course Can anyone catch Tyrrell Hatton to- was seven-under-par after 15 holes, “I know the weather is going to PRO LEADERS after Round 3 day? It’s dawning on the passionate but bogeys at the 16th, 17th and a be brutal, so the more you can claw Tyrrell Hatton -14 galleries at St Andrews that it could weak par at the 18th, where he drove back on a day like this the better.” Marcus Fraser -13 be one of their own. the green, undermined his charge, Australia’s Marcus Fraser is another TEAM LEADERS after Round 3 Hatton’s mission to win a third and he ended level with Gallacher. in the mix, one shot behind Hatton Elvira / van Wyk -24 straight Alfred Dunhill Links title looks The 2004 champion admitted he after finishing with three birdies for Li / Zhang -24 in good shape after an impressive would have his work cut out to pro- a 67 at Kingsbarns. Dawson / O'Driscoll -23 third round 66 at the Old Course, duce an emotional victory. The highlights of Hatton’s 66 were Jaidee / Desano -23 but Scotland’s local hero Stephen “They’re two top lads, playing two eagles, at the 5th and 9th. He Fleetwood / Phipps II -23 Gallacher is just three shots behind. well, flying high after the Ryder Cup. said: “I've been pretty calm all week. Quiros / Harris -23 It had looked as if Tommy Fleet- Tyrrell loves this place. They are the I'm not really thinking about the hat- Pulkkanen / Hissom -23 wood would be right up there with boys to beat. I like the event. I like trick too much. So far, so good, but a his Ryder Cup colleague Hatton. He the courses. I grew up playing here. lot can happen in 18 holes.” Shotgun start at 8.30 am today because of expected high winds Getty Images and Ian McIlgorm Photographs courtesy of Koepka creeps up playing for laughs The unusual pairing of the three-time Major winner and his caddie has produced plenty of banter and birdies Banter on the first tee, before a ball didn’t you do that on the first?” asked is struck, is as old as golf itself, but Brooks. “I’m warmed up now,” re- when it’s from a three-time Major plied Elliott, resplendent in a USA champion and aimed at his amateur Ryder Cup woolly hat. playing partner – who is usually em- The result? Elliott’s ball flying out ployed as his caddie – then it be- of bounds to the right – leaving comes just that little bit different. Brooks almost doubled-up with Fraser fights Brooks Koepka, the reigning US delight. Open and US PGA champion, is pic- Elliott was playing in the team for face-off tured here trying to get Ricky Elliott, competition as a special treat from the popular Northern Irishman who Koepka and added: “It was brilliant with Hatton has been on Koepka’s bag for more of Brooks, and everything about this than five years, to hit a driver off the experience has been tremendous. Marcus Fraser of Australia will join first tee at the start of their third I’ll never get the chance to do this hat-trick seeking Tyrrell Hatton in round at the Old Course. again and today, standing on that the final group at the Old Course “He was trying everything to get first tee at St Andrews, was a really today after he recovered from a me to hit driver and Brooks’ brother special moment for me as someone slow start to shoot a 67 at Kings- Chase, and his amateur partner Scott who loves all the history of the barns. The 40-year-old is a single Mahoney, were egging him on,” said game at the Old Course and in the shot behind Hatton and has a Elliott. “But there was no way! I was town of St Andrews.” landmark result in his sights. nervous about hitting it out of Koepka, who shot a superb third After a bogey at the second, bounds on the right – or going into round 65 to trail leader Tyrrell Fraser never dropped another the Swilken Burn – so I just hit three Hatton by just five strokes, said: “It shot and finished birdie-birdie, iron, and then three iron again, and I has been awesome this week, with including a monster putt at the was on the green putting for birdie! Chase and I having our family here final hole. Fraser claimed early Unfortunately, I didn’t get it because too and Ricky having his. He’s so estimates of 80 feet did not do that would have been nice.” much fun to be around and that’s his finale justice. A highly sociable round ended in part of the reason why he’s my “It might have been even fur- much laughter, too, when Elliott did caddie. It’s a long relationship and ther I think,” he said. “Probably opt to take driver on the 18th. “Why I’m sure it will stay that way.” closer to 100. It was a nice way to finish and it will make dinner taste a bit nicer. "I actually played a little bit O’Driscoll is better than yesterday and it was nice to get a few putts at the end up for chase to justify that." Fraser and his amateur partner, Brian O’Driscoll was delighted to Harry van Dyk, also made the cut make the cut for only the second in the Team Championship, fin- time at the Alfred Dunhill Links ishing on 12-under. “I’m loving Championship – particularly as he is playing with Harry,” added Fraser. firmly in contention this time around. “We’re pumped that we made The Irish rugby legend last made the the cut. I'm enjoying hanging out cut in 2014 but was well behind the with him and having a good laugh pack leaders entering the final - it's fun” round. This time, in the company of The overnight leaders, Lucas pro partner Robin Dawson, he is tied Bjerregaard and Andrea Pavan, second and more hopeful of victory still could not be separated after a over the Old Course. further 18 holes at Carnoustie. “It’s lovely to be able to go out on Both shot 71 and sit at 10-under, the Sunday,” said the former Lions four off the lead. captain. “We scraped in in 2014. We The round of the day belonged were eight or 10 shots behind, but to to a rookie on the European Tour, be only one behind is exciting. It the 28-year-old Finn Tapio Pulk- means we can go bold. We’ll go after kanen. Easy to spot in his trade- everything and if we fall off a cliff, so mark pork-pie hat, Pulkkanen be it. But it could be terrific. replicated Hatton’s second round “We dovetailed unbelievably [at at Carnoustie, with a blistering Carnoustie]. We got going early on 64 which featured an eagle at the the second where I got a birdie-net 14th ‘Spectacles’ hole. eagle and that gave us momentum.” Top Posts Fleetwood looks for better finish Ryder Cup hero Tommy Fleetwood for a 67, and he said: “I need to drive I am. There's other guys up there as “It was the only Tour event I got said he would have to up his game it better than I did those last few well as Tyrrell. I’ll just keep concen- into on the Challenge Tour,” he said. today if he is to catch leader Tyrrell holes. There's stuff I can do better trating on my game.” “There's quite a few tournaments Hatton in the final round of the Alfred and whether that's good enough, Fleetwood says the Alfred Dunhill you want to win, but this one is Dunhill Links Championship. we'll see. Links is one of the events he would right up there, and it's the Home of Fleetwood finished with bogeys “My game's been good, especially most like to win. He received an invi- Golf. I'd like to tick this one off. It on the 16th and 17th and only a par today. It was just a disappointing tation when he was on the Challenge would be great to get this one on on the 18th, despite driving the green, finish. I should be a lot closer than Tour and has loved it ever since. my resumé.” Old Course experience is big reward for Finau Tony Finau admits he has much to learn about the unique demands of links golf, but he is looking forward to returning to the Old Course for today’s final round in a bid to better yesterday’s 71. That was his first competitive round at St Andrews and it left him six- under-par for the tournament. “The one big thing I’m learning this week is that I need to play more links golf if I’m going to get better at it!” said the giant, affable American. “It will be great to have another chance here tomorrow. I was leaking a bit of oil coming in today but I’m enjoying this whole week hugely – it’s been so much fun both on and off the course.” Finau and his close friend Ryan Smith have also made the cut in the team competition, on 20 under par, tied for 11th and four off the lead.

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