VIRGINIA WATER, England — Eleven years after winning the title as a 20-year-old, Matteo Manassero moved into contention to reclaim the prestigious BMW PGA Championship by shooting a 9-under 63 to take a three-stroke lead in the third. round on Saturday.
It will be a career revival for the 31-year-old Italian, who as a teenager was expected to become a golf champion only for his game to go into freefall — dropping Manassero to the third-tier Alps Tour and the world. 1,705 level.
Back on the European Tour this year, he won in South Africa in March and is now looking to overcome a packed field — which includes Rory McIlroy — in a major tour event.
Manassero, now ranked No. 101, pumped his fist after sinking a 12-foot putt at the last to complete a birdie-birdie-birdie and a back 9 in 31 on the steep West Course. He made seven birdies and an eagle 3 on No. 4, and was under the age of 18 in this tournament.
McIlroy shot a 66 after getting up and down on the 18th after going into the water on his second shot. The No. 3-ranked Northern Irishman, who won the event in 2014, is tied for second place with Billy Horschel, whose round of 65 included a run of seven straight birdies — featuring holed putts up to 130 feet — from in No. 8.
Overnight leader Matthew Baldwin, ranked No. 363 and who left packages on Amazon two years ago, shot 71 and was alone in fourth place after a round that started in rain and ended under sunny skies outside London.
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