Peter Uihlein became the first player at the Open de France to hold onto at least a share of the lead for more than one day shooting a 71 to sit at 8-under through 54 holes, tied for the top of the leaderboard with Sweden’s Alexander Bjork.
Bjork shot a 2-under 70 to move up from third to a tie for the lead. Uihlein shot a 71. Both men are hovering in the 40s in the Race to Dubai standings and a victory here could cement the spot for either of them in the post-season tournament.
Three men are tied for third at 7-under: the UK’s Tommy Fleetwood and Andy Sullivan and Belgium’s Thomas Pieters.
Fleetwood has been playing very well despite not having a tournament victory of late. He’s #2 in the Race to Dubai standings, trailing only Masters champion Sergio Garcia there.
Sullivan shot a low round of 68 among the Top 10 competitors; he was 1-over through two holes, then knocked down four birdies the rest of the way.
It was a rough day for the tournament’s former leaders. Spain’s Adrian Otaegui staggered to a 74 after rounds of 66 and 68 and fell back to three strokes behind the leaders at 5-under. Otaegui was 1-under through seven holes, then bogeyed 8 and 9 to end the front nine 1-over. Three more bogeys on 13, 15, and 18 dropped him to 3-over for the round.
He’s tied there with Day 1 leader Paul Waring, who shot his second straight 72 after opening the tournament with a 64.
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