BMW PGA day three: MacIntyre misses cut, Ferguson didn't 'cry like baby', Ramsay bugged by bad bunker raking

Richie Ramsay also still has a chance of landing a Scottish success in the $8 million Rolex Series event despite being hindered by some inconsiderate bunker raking in a group ahead that left him complaining to officials at the end of the third round at the Surrey venue.

On a day when Swede Alex Noren, who is heading to the Ryder Cup as one of Luke Donald’s vice captains, upstaged the European players set to take on the Americans at Bethpage Black by moving into a share of the lead, MacIntyre found his event over at the end of 54 holes.

Due to the fact that a total of 86 players - a higher than normal number - had made the halfway cut, a second one was implemented so that a maximum of 78 players would be involved in the closing circuit. It fell right on the mark at three under, meaning MacIntyre missed out by a shot after taking a sloppy bogey-6 at the 18th.

It will be a disappointment for the Oban man as he joins Dane Rasmus Hojgaard, who was a halfway casualty, in twiddling his thumbs as nine other members of the European team get one final competitive round under their belt before jumping on a plane on Sunday night en route to a two-day visit to Bethpage Black in the build up to the 45th edition starting at the Long Island venue on Friday week.

Noren, who won the recent Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo at The Belfry, is in the mix again, having carded a third-round 66 to sit on 15 under alongside Adrien Saddier after the Frenchman signed for a 65. The duo sit two shots ahead of Tyrrell Hatton following his best-of-the-day 64, with Viktor Hovland a further shot back.

Ferguson sits on ten under in a group that includes Ludvig Aberg, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Patrick Reed, with Ramsay a further shot back and Connor Syme on seven under in the battle for a $1.53 million top prize.

Ferguson’s salvage mission

Given that he was three over for the day standing on the fourth tee, it was understandable that Ferguson was pleased to salvage a 71, having turned his day around by making an eagle there then finishing birdie-birdie.

“I dug in,” declared the three-time DP World Tour winner. “I held myself accountable and didn’t shy away and act like a little baby after the first few holes, which I easily could have.”

After finishing his second round by rolling in a long eagle putt, a double-bogey 6 to start killed any momentum he’d hoped to take into the third round. “I struggle on that first hole so much and I tried to be too smart with the pitch I had,” said Ferguson. I felt agitated after that and it then it started raining on three, which is not a hole where you want it to start p****** down.”

In the final round, for which the tee times have been moved forward due to heavy rain and strong winds being forecast in the London area, Ferguson will have Fitzpatrick and Reed, both major winners, for company. “I’ve just not felt hot with the putter this week,” said the Dubai-based player. “I’ve been fidgeting around trying to get comfy and hopefully tomorrow I do.”

Ramsay was one under for the day and clinging on to the coattails of the leaders until he left his third shot at the par-4 15th in a greenside bunker and ran up a double-bogey. “I was disappointed because I hit a good 5-iron in and it was a yard away from being within ten feet,” he reported afterwards.

“But it has run down into the bunker and someone hasn’t raked the bunker very well, let’s put it that way. Anyone who knows me would say that’s one he can maybe hole. But the lie wasn’t good and it rolled back into my footprint.”

As he signed for his card, the four-time tour winner spoke to a referee, asking him if he could find out who had been in the bunker before him. “That’s fair to say,” he said in reply to being asked if it hadn’t been the standard of raking that players expect on the circuit. “I hit it hard as well. The problem is the sand is quite heavy and it ran back into the worst place it could have. But I composed myself and played well coming in.”

The 42-year-old, who came into this week on the back of missing five cuts in a row, is looking for a big last-day performance as he bids to climb from 86th in the Race to Dubai Rankings and give himself a chance of making it to the Middle East for the season-ending double header in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in November.

Noren is bidding to land the coveted title for a second time after already prevailing here in 2017 and, though Saddier landed his breakthrough win earlier in the year and was also in contention in last week’s Amgen Irish Open, the experienced Swede could be the man to beat on Sunday.

Hatton, though, is a big dangerman, having also won this event in 2020 and now chasing a sixth Rolex Series title. “It would mean a lot,” admitted the Englishman of having a chance to win here again after his first success came without any fans in attendance due to restrictions during the Covid pandemic.

“When I last played here in 2023, I finished second and had a putt on the last that I hoped would at least get me in a play-off. I holed it, but then Foxy [Ryan Fox] went and birdied the last. It was still special to finish the week with a full grandstand on 18 and, yeah, the support I’ve had this week has been amazing and I’m looking forward to giving it my best tomorrow.”