The board of the Astara Golf Championship, a Korn Ferry Tour tournament that is played at the Country Club of Bogotá, shook on a Saturday with very good cards, in which the first three classified until Friday fell down the steps in the fight for the title.
The best round of the day was performed by the American Thomas Walsh, 27 years old and a professional since 2019. He finished with 63 strokes, eight under par, on the Fundadores course, the traditional venue of this tournament since its appearance on the circuit in 2010. This allowed him to finish the day as leader and get an important advantage, three shots, to think about winning Bogotá.
Walsh had scored six birdies throughout his tour (holes 4, 5, 6, 8, 13 and 17) and won the applause of the stands with an eagle on the 18th, to reach 192 shots, 20 under par. , and reach the last day with a three-stroke advantage.
It is the third time that Walsh plays in Bogotá. In 2022 he was in box 69 and last year he missed the cut. This time he made the most of the field and is excited about his first victory on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Carlos Avendaño. Astara Golf Championship
Three other Americans, Kevin Velo, Trevor Cone and Brian Campbell, share second place with 195 (-17), all with good rounds this Saturday: 64, 65 and 66, respectively.
The two record men of the first two days collapsed in the third round. The Chilean Cristóbal del Solar, who on Thursday entered the golf history books with a spectacular 57 on the Pacos y Fabios course, could not find a way back against Fundadores: three double bogeys, two bogeys and just two birdies took him out of the top 40 of the tournament. But he made an eagle on the 18th so the round wouldn't be so terrible: 75 strokes.
It was not a good day for the young South African Aldrich Potgieter, leader after the second day either. He came with par on the field until the 18th hole, where he finished with a double bogey that took him out of the top 10 of the tournament.
Celia had to fight hard to finish under par
Carlos Avendaño. Astara Golf Championship
The Colombian Ricardo Celia, The only survivor of the local delegation, he started in trouble with a bogey on hole 1, but tried to fight and ended up in the red in the third round thanks to a birdie on the last hole. He is in 12th place, with 198 strokes, 14 under par, six behind the leader.
“A tough day, I didn't make many putts, I didn't find the momentum I had found in the first two days, I couldn't make the birdie chances I had on the first nine. Fortunately I made two birdies in the last three holes and that gives me a lot of confidence for tomorrow (Sunday), declared Celia.
The last round of the tournament will be played this Sunday, with departures starting at 7:05 in the morning. Celia will take the field at 11:39 am and the leader, at 1:05 in the afternoon.
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