Ian Woosnam, who captured the last of his 29 European Tour titles eight years ago, will set out tomorrow determined to lift a curse placed on him in Dubai in 1997 – the same year as that success – in The Celtic Manor Wales Open. Woosnam begins the final round in a four-way tie for second place behind Italian Alessandro Tadini.
While halfway leader Tadini maintained his advantage with a three over par 72 for an eight under par total of 199at The Celtic Manor Resort, the 47 year old Welshman summoned up a battling 68 to lie in second place on 200 alongside Ryder Cup player Miguel Angel Jiménez and José Manuel Lara of Spain and Frenchman Jean Francois Lucquin.
Woosnam began with three straight bogeys on a difficult day in which the swirling wind and squally showers made life uncomfortable for the entire field, but hit back by playing the next 15 holes in four under par without another dropped shot.
Questioned about the fact that he hasn’t won since 1997, Woosnam explained how he had been ‘cursed’ during the Dubai Desert Classic. He said: “I saw a man in Dubai that year and he said if I didn’t work with him, the jinx would be on me – and I haven’t won a stroke play title since!”
After landing the PGA Championship that season, Woosnam elected not to pursue a working relationship with the mystery man. Since then, his one title came in match play when he won the World Match Play crown at Wentworth Club in 2001.
“I can’t find the bloke to take the curse off again” he laughed. “I don’t know how he was, other than he was working with a golf magazine and seems to have disappeared. I’ll have a go at anything and let him hypnotise me but I didn’t take any notice of what he said. I didn’t believe it.”
Despite that hokum, Woosnam has a strong chance of winning again in his native country. Just one stroke off the lead with 18 holes remaining, the former Masters Champion will tackle the Roman Road course using a cross handed putting method.
“I missed a two footer on the first and decided to putt cross handed after that” he explained. “I putted better, even though I don’t feel comfortable with it, but it’s given me a lot of confidence for the final round. I must admit I wasn’t feeling so great after three holes but I think my Welsh battling qualities came out.”
Tadini also showed great fortitude, bogeying the first and racking up a double bogey seven at the third. However, like Woosnam, he finished strongly, picking up two shots over the closing six holes to stay in front.
He said: “I was five over par after 12 holes so I was pleased to get two shots back. I started very badly today with a bit of pressure on me and only two or three times in my life have I led on The European Tour. I putted very badly but if I can win I will be very happy.”
Jiménez also fought hard to stay in title contention after an up and down round of 70 while Lara carded a superb two under par 67 and Lucquin a 69 to join Woosnam and the Ryder Cup Spaniard on seven under par.
The biggest moves of the day were made by England Nick Dougherty and Australian Terry Price, whose four under par 65s catapulted them through the field into a tie for seventh place, just three strokes behind Tadini.
