Strong finish sees McKibbin remain in Hamburg hunt

A second successive 71 sees defending champion Tom McKibbin remain in contention going into the final round of the European Open in Hamburg.

McKibbin again had to contend with a double-bogey, today at the par-5 11th, but finished strongly to sit on eight-under par, four shots adrift of joint-leaders Laurie Canter and Guido Migliozzi.

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The 21-year-old bounced back immediately from a bogey at the third with a birdie, but any fears that a double bogey could have a negative impact were soon dispelled, picking up the first of four consecutive birdies at the 13th.

He will begin his final round four shots off Canter and Migliozzi.

Canter insisted after his third round that he was not feeling any pressure to claim a first DP World Tour win after carding a battling level-par 73.

The Englishman started the day with a three-shot lead and had extended that to four after four holes but a serious wobble around the turn saw him fall from the summit before a birdie on the last got him back to 12 under alongside Italian Migliozzi.

Canter was one the first wave of players to move to LIV Golf in 2022 but has been a reserve on the Saudi-funded breakaway for the last two seasons and is now back playing the bulk of his golf on his home circuit.

“I really want to win,” he said. “There’s nothing for me to lose or worry about in that respect. I’m going to try and win the tournament.

“I felt like I tried to do that today. I felt at times today that round could have got away from me and turned to two, three over par. Hopefully that’s the sticky round behind me.”