HAMBURG, Germany – Home favorite Bernd Ritthammer erased Robert MacIntyre’s four-shot advantage to join the Scottish rookie for a share of the lead after the third round of the European Open.
The German, playing his 100th European Tour event, carded a 2-under 70 to join playing partner MacIntyre at the top on 9 under at the Green Eagle Golf Course.
“It was definitely an experience for me,” Ritthammer said. “I’m not used to leading an event on the European Tour.”
Scores: European Open
MacIntyre was well positioned after following his opening 68 with a flawless 65 on Friday, but his four-shot lead was reduced to just one when Ritthammer started with a birdie and MacIntyre answered with back-to-back bogeys on the second and third holes.
MacIntyre missed birdie chances at the seventh, eighth and ninth, and had to settle for a 2-over 74 after finishing, like Ritthammer, with a birdie on the final hole.
“Things didn’t go my way today. I fought well until the end. It doesn’t matter where I am on the leaderboard, bottom or top, every point counts,” MacIntyre said. “Today I just showed my fight and to birdie the last was huge to get a tie for the lead.”
Four-time Ryder Cup player Paul Casey is third, one shot behind the leaders, after a 3-under 69, while Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal and Austria’s Matthias Schwab are a further shot behind at 7 under.
