Thorbjorn Olesen, the talented and experienced Danish golfer, put on a masterful performance in round three of the 3M Open on Saturday. He somehow managed to fire a stunning 4-under 67. Tee to green, he turned in a dazzling performance at TPC Twin Cities. He made an ace on the par-3 eighth hole with a soft 6-iron from 209 yards. Olesen completed a rare double by sharing the opening lead with Akshay Bhatia. Now, each player finds themselves in the catbird seat as they approach the last round.
Olesen, an eight-time winner on the European Tour, is looking for his first PGA Tour win. He came into the third round with a lot of confidence after having the lead after the second round. His only mistakes came with a bogey on No. 9 and a three-putt bogey on the 15th hole. He recovered by making birdie on the drivable par-4 16th and parring the final two holes to play his way safely through.
Looking back on his performance, Olesen was very pleased with his play. He noted, “So many putts lipped in today, which was great to see. Just a nice round overall I felt like I played the rough pretty well this morning. This statement speaks to his fortitude in overcoming adversity on the course, especially considering it came after he was battling some very errant tee shots.
Bhatia, who was very much in the running for the title, still played a strong round, nonetheless. He reflected on titled his play, saying, “I wedged in from everywhere, made tons of putts. His steady play has always made him competitive with Olesen as both men seek their first win.
After his hole-in-one, Olesen expressed his excitement: “Obviously, it took the slope perfectly, a big bonus to see it go in. It’s been a long time since I’ve had one.” This moment was the biggest highlight in what was otherwise a tough round for McIlroy as he struggled with out of form game.
As both players prepare for the final day of competition, Olesen acknowledged the significance of this moment in his career. He said, “That’s obviously different and that’s a huge opportunity. This sentiment speaks to the gravity of the tournament and the potential implications of a victory for him.
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