The New Zealand golfer Ryan Fox is lamenting the misfortune that pushed him from third into sixth on day three of the Australian PGA Championship on the Gold Coast.
Ryan Fox Photo: Photosport
Fox carded a one-over par 73 on Saturday to be seven-under for the championship, seven strokes behind the Australian leader, Andrew Dodt.
The 29-year-old Aucklander struck four bogies and three birdies today but says he could have been three or four under had it not been for bad luck on and around the greens.
"A little bit - what could have been," said Fox when asked how he felt about his third round at Royal Pines.
"I actually, tee to green, played fairly well, bar my first two tee shots and just couldn't get the ball in the hole really," he said.
"Gave myself plenty of opportunities and could easily have shot three or four under and been in the tournament still."
Fox has not given up on mounting a comeback on day four, however, noting that Greg Chalmers shot 64 on the final day to win the Australian PGA Championship in a playoff in 2014.
"It's going to take at least that tomorrow if not a little bit more so there's still a slight chance," he said adding that patience would be key for him on Sunday.
"I think I got a little frustrated with the putter out there towards the end and I putted pretty nicely the first two days and I'll try to go back to what I was doing there and hopefully they drop for me."
Dodt will tee off with a two-shot shot lead for the third day in a row in the final round after a two-under-par 70 kept him on top of the leaderboard on Saturday.
Adam Scott looked like reining in his fellow Australian when he eagled the ninth and set off on a back nine which he tore up on Friday, but the world number seven found the water twice and ended up with a 70 and a share of fourth.
Dodt's mixture of five birdies and three bogeys on a windy day at Royal Pines left him on 14-under for the tournament, two clear of popular American Harold Varner III and Ashley Hall with Scott and John Senden (68) a further two shots back on 10-under.
"I guess I picked up where I left off yesterday, I feel really comfortable in the wind," said Dodt, who has twice won similarly co-sanctioned European Tour events in the Asia-Pacific.
"I feel like my game can handle the wind, it's more about controlling me and I thought I did that well today."
- RNZ / Reuters
