At six in the evening the final leaderboard: Matt Fitzpatrick solitary leader in the sign of regularity (three birdies and a bogey, -10). It is forbidden to sleep peacefully for the Englishman as in one shot there are Rory McIlroy and the other Englishman Aaron Rai, number 173 in the world and today by far the best (-6).
The world number two pulled out his nails in the final, “covering” with a great birdie on the 18th a bogey on the previous hole.
Matt Fitzpatrick, statements
One step below Victor Perez (long leader), Lucas Herbert and American Kurt Kitayama (-5).
It goes without saying that there are no favorites to win the Italian Open. Within three shots there are as many as eight players. Fitzpatrick and McIlroy, two Major Champions and Ryder Cup men, showed great regularity but this time it didn’t take much to change the course of the race.
If Francesco Molinari could replay a hole at Marco Simone, there would be no doubt about which one to choose. In the three laps played so far, the 18, the one in front of the stands of the public and the various hospitality, is at least indigestible.
On Friday an unpatched short putt slowed his comeback. On Saturday the only bogey of the day marked him right there. For the rest Francesco is by far the best blue and begins to smell the top ten. On the moving day he shot 68 strokes (-3 in the day), reaching -6 from the top.
He is in thirteenth position, a nice boost of confidence in view of the final. He slows down but does not give up the rest of the blue troop at the Italian Open. Celli, one of the most applauded, scored +1 for the day, and is on par for the total.
Flavio Michetti, amateur from Ascoli Piceno, defended himself very well: for him a total -2 like Guido Migliozzi. Edoardo Molinari and Stefano Mazzoli are in position number 51 (+1), The other blue amateur in the race feels the pressure of the event: Florioli is 77th (+9).
Sunday we leave early. The first team in the competition will be made up of Quesne, Florioli and Wood: starting time 7.35 from hole one. The last (McIlroy, Rai, Fitzpatrick) at 12.30. Francesco Molinari expected at 11.46.
