After taking the lead on Day 2 of Open de Espana, Belgium’s Thomas Pieters looked like anything but a rookie in holding onto the lead Saturday, going into the final round with a two-stroke lead over Spain’s own Miguel Angel Jimenez.
It’s been a whirlwind weekend for Pieters, who turned pro last summer and locked up his Euro Tour card at qualifying school at the very venue he’s playing at this weekend.
On Sunday, the 22-year-old rookie will play with Jimenez, who at 50 is quite literally old enough to be Pieters’ father. Jimenez is trying to break his own record as the oldest winner of a Euro Tour event. He set it last year by winning the Hong Kong Open at the age of 49 years, 337 days.
Pieters shot a 1-under 71 to drop to 7-under for the tournament. He started the round 2-over through five holes before hitting his stride.
Jimenez fired a 3-under 69 to drop to 5-under. Jimenez could have tied for the lead but bogeyed No. 15 and 18 on Saturday.
A trio of players are tied at 4-under: Scotland’s Richie Ramsay, Australia’s Richard Green and the UK’s Chris Wood. Green and Wood both shot 69s.
Spaniard Sergio Garcia, who was just a stroke back after Round 1 on Thursday, was over par for a second straight round, struggling to a 1-over 73 to drop to a tie for 15th at even par.
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