Porsche European Open: Key Takeaways From Day Three
June 19, 2015; University Place, WA, USA; Alexander Levy on the 10th green in the second round of the 2015 U.S. Open golf tournament at Chambers Bay. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
With just 18 holes remaining at the Porsche European Open, everyone will be looking to catch Frenchman Alexander Levy.
Fans at Bad Griesbach Golf Resort didn’t get to see much golf on Saturday at the Porsche European Open thanks to fog and rain delays. These developments eventually resulted in the European Tour opting to shorten the event to 54 holes, with a full final round set to rake place on Sunday.
After holding the 54-hole lead at last week’s Italian Open, Frenchman Alexander Levy has continued his good form in Germany by opening up a four-stroke lead through the first three days. This week, a 54-hole lead will be enough to grab the trophy. Can he make it there?
He’ll be playing alongside world No. 919 Michael Jonzon, a journeyman from Sweden. Both posted eight-under-par 63s in the second round. Five-time European Tour winner Ross Fisher will also be in the final threesome, sitting five strokes off the pace.
Fan favorite Martin Kaymer headlines a trio tied for fourth at 11-under. From that bunch, a closing 64 or better is probably what’s required for the win.
Scoring has been low this week, and Levy has not had many opportunities since his last win at the 2014 Portgual Masters. If the drama proves too much for the young Frenchman, it could all add up to some great final round theatrics.
Without further ado, let’s dig into three key takeaways from a wet, foggy day three in Germany.
Alex Levy’s last six rounds:
68, 67, 63, 71
62, 63— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) September 24, 2016
Despite the poor weather, it was a pretty relaxing Saturday for Alexander Levy. He had just one hole to complete from his second round, which was cut short by darkness, intermittent fog and rain delays on Friday.
The Frenchman could be excused for a light work day thanks to his sparkling play in the first two rounds. He has yet to make a bogey this week and has posted 32 or lower on all four nines, showing steady dominance with scores of 62 and 63.
Levy’s putting will be the X factor in the final round. The 26-year-old has needed just 50 putts thus far, four shots better per round than his 29.2 average, which placed him at No. 62 on the European Tour heading into this week.
The short hitter will have to rely on his hot putter and continued steady scrambling (75 percent this week, 58.9 percent for the season) if he is to fend off his pursuers who will have nothing to lose in hopes of going low at Bad Griesbach.
Mar 5, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Bernd Wiesberger follows his tee shot off the 2nd tee box during the third round at TPC Blue Monster at Trump National Doral. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Who has the best chance to catch Levy?
If 36 holes still remained, it would be a far cry to say that Levy has the tournament pinned down. But with a four-stroke lead and world No. 919 Michael Jonzon as his nearest pursuer, it’s clearly his to lose.
We know that it’s not a done deal, however, and the local German contingent will have a pair of native golfers trying for victory on Sunday.
Martin Kaymer joined Thomas Pieters as one of the only Ryder Cuppers to play this event in preparation for next week’s matches in Minnesota, but his decision could pay dividends. The German is tied for fourth at 11-under and could put some pressure on Levy if he can excite the crowd with a flurry of birdies tomorrow.
He’ll be playing alongside a countryman, the relatively unheralded Florian Fritsch. The 30-year-old is competing in his second year on tour and tied for seventh at the Omega Masters a few weeks ago, but this will be a whole different animal for him.
You can’t forget about Bernd Weisberger, either. He finished runner-up at the KLM Open two weeks ago, and the No. 58 player in the world has picked up three European Tour wins over the last few seasons.
Statistically, Jonzon has the best chance to erase Levy’s lead, but the Swede’s career has tumbled quite a bit since wins on tour in 1999 and 2005. Playing with limited status on the European Tour, his best finish this year has been a T12 at the Nordea Masters in his home country. Golf is a crazy game, and Jonzon has made 16 birdies this week, so maybe he’ll be partying like it’s 1999 come Sunday afternoon.
Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Kaymer and Pieters prepare for Ryder Cup
Traveling from one hemisphere to the other in back-to-back weeks is often not ideal for a professional golfer. Such is the case for Martin Kaymer and Thomas Pieters, the lone European Ryder Cup team members in the Porsche European Open field. Much is made of the Americans’ need to adjust to time zone changes, particularly at The Open Championship, though it’s usually not seen as a big concern for Europeans more adjusted to a globetrotting schedule.
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Nonetheless, Kaymer will be in his third straight week of competition next week and has not had a smooth go of it in the past two weeks, playing through numerous weather delays.
“It’s a very bad feeling to have such long days, coming from Italy were we were playing from early morning to late at night and now it’s the same again,” Kaymer is quoted in a Daily Mail article. “It’s not perfect preparation for the Ryder Cup.”
Kaymer had two weeks off prior to the Italian Open and has shown strong form, tying for 20th in Italy and sitting in a tie for fourth at the Porsche European Open entering Sunday. It’s hard to fault him for playing in his home tournament, but fatigue could be a contributing factor if the two-time major champion struggles next week at Hazeltine.
Pieters is also pretty fresh, taking three weeks off before this week. Like Kaymer, he can’t be enthused about the weather delay, but it’s common for golfers to want competitive action the week before a big event. In a tie for 58th at four-under, Pieters is off the pace and can tackle his final round in whatever way he sees fit as part of early preparation for next week.
What do you think: will Levy hold on for the win? Let us know in the comments, and keep it here at Pro Golf Now for more updates from the Porsche European Open.
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