Alastair Forsyth stretches lead to 11 shots in PGA Pros

Alastair Forsyth on his way to a 67 in the third round of the Titleist & Footjoy PGA Professional Championship at Hunstanton. Picture: Adrian Milledge

The 43-year-old, who led by seven at the halfway stage in the battle for a £10,000 top prize, added a 67 to his blistering opening efforts of 65 and 63 for a 21-under-par total.

Keeping his foot to the board, Forsyth, a two-time European Tour winner, burst out of the blocks with birdies at the opening two holes before picking up another shot at the fifth.

He made his only bogey of the day after straying into a bunker at the sixth but had repaired that damage two holes later then added two more birdies on the back nine.

“It’s was strange position having that amount of a lead overnight,” said Forsyth, who is attached to Mearns Castle Golf Academy.

“I said yesterday there’s a long way to go at that point. It’s the same again tomorrow – just go out and keep doing the same.

“The game’s good. Actually, and I’m not complaining, I missed quite a lot putts today on the back nine. The tee to green stuff is still very solid.

“I’ll see if I can have a wee practice to see if I can tidy that (putting) up. No, I’m absolutely delighted with the way things are going.”

Paul O’Hara, the 2017 winner, dropped shots at the final two holes as he had to settle for a 71 that left him sharing second spot with Englishman Jordan Goodwin (67).

“Game plan tomorrow is the same again – we’ll see what the weather brings, what the breeze brings,” added Forsyth, who won a second Northern Open earlier in the month at Newmachar. “It was different today – similar to what we played in the practice round, direction-wise.

“I only made one mistake – I found a bunker on the sixth. It was more a bad shot than a mistake. It was just a poor shot. The rest of it was very solid.”

While the event was dominated by Scots for a spell, Forsyth is aiming to land just the second tartan triumph since 2003.

“I’ve had a few comfortable leads in the past, but not at this level,” he said. “I’ve been in the game long enough to know stranger things can happen.

“I won’t be celebrating tonight or anything like that. And I won’t be thinking about Texas (where he’s on course to be heading for the PGA Cup later in the year).

“You never know what’s round the corner, especially in golf. You just stay in the moment and take one shot at a time. It’s a cliché but it’s very true.”

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