England’s Annabel Dimmock equalled the women’s course record with a third round of eight-under-par 64 in the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club in Abu Dhabi on Friday morning.
The 20-year-old from Denham in Buckinghamshire carded four birdies on the front nine before making an eagle on the 10th and adding three more birdies on 14, 15 and 17. However, needing a par four on the last to smash the course record, she hit her second shot in the bunker behind the green and took three more shots to end with a bogey, to sit at nine-under-par in total after three rounds.
“I’m delighted but it was a bit of a negative finish. It was a tough last hole, so I’m still happy but not as happy as I would have been,” Dimmock said. “I think the 18th is really tough. I don’t know whether to go short of the bunker with the tee shot and leave a really long iron, which I think I’d rather, but when the pin is there you’re trying to hit a 10 yard green with a 6 or 5-iron.
“I’ve gradually putted better each day. The first day I had just as many opportunities and missed every short putt that I had, really. I hit the ball close, had some bogeys and a few tap-in putts, so it was good.”
Dimmock was three strokes behind the leaders by lunchtime and well within contention for her maiden title heading into Saturday’s last round.
