Matteo Manassero leads by 3 at BMW PGA Championship, 11 years after winning it

By The Associated Press on September 21, 2024.

Italy's Matteo Manassero on the 4th hole during day three of the PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club in Virginia Water, England, Saturday Sept. 21, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)

VIRGINIA WATER, England (AP) – Eleven years after winning the title as a 20-year-old prodigy, Matteo Manassero moved into contention to capture the prestigious BMW PGA Championship again by shooting 9-under 63 to take a three-stroke lead after the third round on Saturday.

It would cap a career revival for the 31-year-old Italian, who as a teenager was widely expected to become a golfing superstar only for his game to go into freefall – dropping Manassero onto the third-tier Alps Tour and to a world ranking of 1,705.

Back on the European tour this year, he won in South Africa in March and now is in sight of a victory over a stacked field – containing Rory McIlroy – at the tour’s flagship event.

Manassero, now ranked No. 101, pumped his fist after curling in a 12-foot putt at the last to seal a birdie-birdie-birdie finish and a back nine of 31 on the storied West Course. He made seven birdies and an eagle 3 at No. 4, and was 18 under for the tournament.

McIlroy shot 66 after getting up and down for par at No. 18 after hitting into water off his second shot. The No. 3-ranked Northern Irishman, who won the event in 2014, was tied for second place with Billy Horschel, whose round of 65 included a run of seven straight birdies – featuring holed putts totaling 130 feet – from No. 8.

Overnight leader Matthew Baldwin, who is ranked No. 363 and was dropping off packages for Amazon two years ago, shot 71 and was alone in fourth place after a round that began in pouring rain and finished under a sunny sky outside London.

Adam Cockerill of Teulon, Man., shot a third-round 71 to trail Manassero by 10 strokes.

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