Dubai-based Tommy Fleetwood has called on his fans for their support as he heads into Sunday’s final round of the Olympic men’s golf competition trailing join-leaders, reigning champion Xander Schauffele and Spanish star Jon Rahm, by just one shot.
A third-round bogey on Hole 12 saw the Briton, who led at the end of the second round, slip into bronze medal position on 12-under par.
Fleetwood, a long-time resident of Dubai and global ambassador of the Emirati logistics company DP World, took to social media to reach out to his fans as he bids for Olympic glory.
‘Loving the support thank you!! Be loud tomorrow folks. I need all the Team GB love.’Fleetwood wrote on his X (Twitter) handle @TommyFleetwood1.
Meanwhile, American Schauffele, the world’s form player after winning his maiden major titles at the PGA Championship and the British Open this year, carded a three-under-par 68 in his third round at Le Golf National.
He struggled to find his best during a level-par front nine as Rahm surged into the lead but eagled the par-five 14th hole at the same time as Rahm was making a three-putt bogey on the next green.
Schauffele will likely have to endure another dramatic final day if he is to win gold again, having edged to victory in the Tokyo Olympics three years ago by a single stroke.
Rahm started the day two shots off the pace but moved up the leaderboard with an excellent 66 to draw alongside Schauffele on 14-under for the tournament.
The two-time major champion made seven birdies, including a long putt on the penultimate hole to bounce back after his disappointment on the 15th.
Tommy Fleetwood is just one shot behind the leading duo in third place on 13-under after a 69 which featured three birdies and one bogey.
The popular Briton, who has never won a major title despite several near-misses, was not in top form but did enough to ensure he has a strong chance of clinching gold.
Hideki Matsuyama, tied for the overnight lead with Schauffele and Fleetwood, battled hard for a level-par 71 to remain 11-under.
The Japanese is tied with Nicolai Hojgaard after the Dane powered through the field with a spectacular nine-under 62 to equal the course record.
The 23-year-old now jointly holds the record with three other players, including his twin brother Rasmus.
Rory McIlroy produced his best round of the week so far with a 66 to stay in touch with the leaders, sitting level with world number one Scottie Scheffler on 10-under overall.
The Northern Irishman was bogey-free, holing a crucial 20-foot par putt on the 17th.
“I think tomorrow, depending on what the leaders do, I’m going to have to probably shoot my lowest round of the week to have a chance at a medal,” said McIlroy. “That’s the goal.”
Scheffler bogeyed the 17th and then was in trouble down the final hole, but got up and down from 90 yards for par to boost his hopes of winning a medal on his Olympic debut.
“I’d like to be leading. I feel like I haven’t had my best stuff the last few days but I’ve done enough to hang in there and stay in the tournament,” said the Masters champion,” he said.
South Korean youngster Tom Kim, who would earn an exemption from military service with a medal, finished strongly to be tied for sixth with McIlroy, Scheffler and Belgium’s Thomas Detry.
World number four Ludvig Aberg of Sweden, Australia’s Jason Day and Chilean Joaquin Niemann are all at nine-under, five shots off the lead.
– with inputs from AFP
Scores (Top 10)
T-1. Jon Rahm (Spain): -14 (F)
T-1. Xander Schauffele (United States): -14 (F)
Tommy Fleetwood (Great Britain): -13 (F)
T-4. Nicolai Hojgaard (Denmark): -11 (F)
T-4. Hideki Matsuyama (Japan): -11 (F)
T-6. Rory McIlroy (Ireland): -10 (F)
T-6. Scottie Scheffler (United States): -10 (F)
T-6. Tom Kim (Korea): -10 (F)
T-6. Thomas Detry (Belgium): -10 (F)
T-10. Ludvig Aberg (Sweden): -9 (F)
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