DP World Tour : Volvo China Open Leaderboard
Haotong Li and Eugenio Chacarra could not be separated as they held a one shot lead after a roller coaster Moving Day at the Volvo China Open.
The pair, who were playing together in the final group during the third round, shared the halfway advantage with Tapio Pulkkanen, but neither player could push ahead as the chasing pack closed in a logjammed leaderboard.
Li - the 2016 champion - rolled in four birdies and dropped two shots in his 69, with Chacarra carding three birdies and a bogey to match his rival at -12 and stay at arm's length ahead of Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat.
"Definitely not my best today," Li admitted. "Glad I still have a chance to compete on Sunday.
"So far, so good. I'm really enjoying the support of the crowd and I know everyone is routing for me so hopefully I can deliver something special tomorrow.
"It was a strange day. It felt that everything was going my way until number 10 when I went in the wrong spot and tried to be cute, and end up losing momentum a little bit. I just need to play better tomorrow.
Chacarra joined his playing partner at the top at -12 with birdies at the 13th and 14th before parring their way to last.
Both players found the thick rough with their tee shot at the last, but both salvaged par to keep their lead by one.
"It was a grind, my thumb is not 100 per cent and the start was tough," Chacarra, said. "It was a grind all day, we knew it was going to be like that, I started the day not knowing if I was going to finish so I'm glad I pushed through it. It is way better than it was after the round yesterday.
"Hopefully tomorrow it will be more back to normal and have the chance to chase the lead on the last couple of holes."
edit **** Chacarra who won the Indian Open recently, is banned from the PGA Tour for a year due to his LIV membership in 2024, can still earn his way back as a top 10 money list finisher this year on the DP World Tour.
Aphibarnrat, who has not won on the DP World Tour since 2018, produced a flawless round of 65 -11 total, and almost joined the leaders had his birdie putt at the last had not lipped out.
Paul laid up on the last, only to put his third shot into the water hazard to finish with a bogey to sit at -10. The German is alongside China's Zecheng Dou and Pulkkanen, who signed an entertaining level par which contained six birdies, a double bogey and four dropped shots.
Jordan Smith was in seventh at -9, with Chinese pair Ashun Wu and Zhengkai Bai in a tie for eighth at -8
europeantour.com
Bryan Angus (edit)
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