Reed, Ortiz lead after Rd. 3 at Int’l Series Macau

Macau, China – 4Aces GC's Patrick Reed and Torque GC's Carlos Ortiz will start Sunday’s final round of the International Series Macau presented by Wynn sharing the lead after the pair battled it out for top spot all day in Round 3.

Reed, who has led since the first round, shot a 3-under 67 while Ortiz posted a 4-under 66 at Macau Golf and Country Club. The top three players this week will secure spots in this year's The Open Championship, which will be held at Royal Portrush.

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Reed and Ortiz stand at 16 under for the week and have a three-shot lead over Germany’s Dominic Foos and Smash GC's Jason Kokrak, who both shot 65. Ripper GC's Lucas Herbert is two strokes further back.

Reed had a comfortable four-shot lead after six holes before a three-shot swing on the par-4 seventh. Reed dopped a shot on that hole while Ortiz chipped in for an eagle. That remained the gap at the turn before Ortiz drew level for the first time after making birdie on No. 10.

Reed regained the lead with a birdie on No. 13 before dropping a shot on the next, where he saw his first putt roll off the green due to the slick surface. But Ortiz also made bogey and stayed one back. Reed later bogeyed the penultimate hole before they both made birdies on the par-5 18th.

“It was kind of sloppy, I missed a lot of putts,” said Reed, the 2018 Masters champion. “My three bogeys were two three-putts, and I putted a ball off the green on 14. Yeah, a couple of difficult pins out there I would say for sure, but everyone has to play them. And, you know, just gotta hit it closer, I guess, and hopefully make the putts.”

Reed appears to have worked out what it takes to play well in Asia, having won the Link Hong Kong Open last November for his maiden win on the Asian Tour and The International Series. He will be attempting to win his 11th title on Sunday since turning professional in 2011.

“Just plan to do same thing tomorrow," Reed said. "Just go out there and continue hitting quality golf shots, putting a good roll on it and just trusting the process.”

Like Reed, Ortiz is also chasing his second victory on the Asian Tour, having won last year’s International Series Oman.

“Good overall," said Ortiz, who shot 61 a day earlier in Round 2. "It was a good round. I put it in play most of the day. I honestly felt like I did a good job. It was not yesterday but it was a decent run. Definitely need to shoot as low as possible tomorrow.”

Foos stormed through at the end, making five birdies in the last seven holes.

“Yeah, I started off pretty slow, made a couple of bogeys in the beginning,” said Foos, who is a graduate from this year’s Qualifying School. “I've been playing really well, and I knew it was only a matter of time until some putts dropped, and yeah, lucky that happened on the back nine.

“It's playing very tricky. I think, like most of the putts, you just want to get it to the hole or around the hole, because so many times just past it, it's like straight downhill.”

Fireballs GC captain Sergio Garcia and Kieran Vincent both carded 69s and are tied for sixth, six behind the leaders.

Nick Voke of New Zealand is a shot further back in a nine-man group on nine under after shooting a 64, the lowest round of the day.

Defending champion John Catlin, a LIV Golf reserve player, shot a 68 and is in joint 38th position at 4 under.

The US$2million event is the second stop on The International Series – 10 elevated events on the Asian Tour that provide a pathway on to the LIV Golf League.

The tournament is also part of the Open Qualifying Series.

(Photo courtesy of Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour)