DP World Tour: After taking a one-shot lead into the Cazoo Open’s final round and receiving backing from Gareth Bale, Callum Shinkwin moved one step closer to winning a second DP World Tour championship.
The world No. 304 shot a stunning six-under 65 to get to 11 under overall at Celtic Manor and give Shinkwin a slim lead over halfway leader Julien Guerrier. He also made birdies on four of his final eight holes.
The Frenchman dropped a three-shot lead on the back nine, carding a second consecutive 68. Connor Syme, who had three birdies in his final four holes to move into third place, was six shots down.
Wedge game 💯@connor_syme finishes with a birdie to head into the final round at -5 after a 68. #CazooOpen pic.twitter.com/N1VXpRfu5G
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) August 6, 2022
“I’m delighted, 65 was a really good score today,” Shinkwin said. “I’m playing really well and didn’t make any mistakes and I’ve come out of it with the lead. The game has been very good for a long time but it was just a matter of clicking into place.”
As his playing partner bogeyed the par-four after making a 20-foot birdie at the seventh, Guerrier made a putt from 10 feet to match Shinkwin’s 25-foot birdie at the first and then picked up a stroke at the par-five fifth to pull ahead by three.
Both golfers made birdies on the par-5 ninth hole, with Guerrier making his putt from 40 feet. However, Shinkwin overtook Guerrier by making birdies on the eleventh and thirteenth holes before making another from six feet on the seventeenth to tie the Frenchman up.
When Guerrier was unable to recover from a greenside bunker at the par-four 16th, Shinkwin took the lead by himself. After both players made birdies on the par-five 18th, the Englishman held a slim lead heading into the final round.
“Of course it felt a little like a match play, but my main goal was to remain focused on my game,” Guerrier said. “If Callum [Shinkwin] is playing well that’s not my concern, really good for him of course, but I tried to remain focused on my game and stay in the zone.”
