VIRGINIA WATER: Spain’s Alejandro Canizares, playing his first event since a meningitis scare, leads Ryder Cup star Lee Westwood by a single shot going into the final round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club.
Canizares yesterday birdied the final two holes to complete a 68 as he seeks a second European Tour title in his first event since pulling out of the Volvo China Open at the start of the month after being diagnosed with viral meningitis.
Italy’s Matteo Manassero (69) and Briton Marc Warren (70) were a further shot adrift on 209 while Sergio Garcia, the talk of the town following his racism row with Tiger Woods, was lurking ominously on 211 after a 68.
Westwood admitted it will be ironic if his first victory since moving to Florida comes in England, where the World No.12 could win the European Tour’s flagship event for the first time at the 20th attempt. Westwood goes into the final round one shot behind after a 67 gave him an eight under par total of 208 at a gloriously sunny Wentworth Club.
“I’m still far from holding the trophy but it would be ironic,” said Westwood, who has credited the vast improvement in his short game to moving to the US in December last year.
“It would be great and I am after as many wins as I can get, but it’s a crowded leaderboard and I will have to play as well if not better than I did today. I felt much more in tune with my swing and had a lot better distance and direction control with my irons and set up a lot of chances. It was one of the most fun days I have ever had on a golf course. It was good to see a lot more smiling faces and a lot more people prepared to take their hands out of their pockets and applaud.”
Asked if a win today would be the biggest of his career, the 40-year-old added: “It would be right up there, probably in the top three. Dubai (in 2009) was probably the biggest because that was to win the money list as well, while in 1997 I went down to Australia and beat Greg Norman for the Australian Open in a play-off and I rate that highly.”
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