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Hansen hits the front in Oman
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Hansen hits the front in Oman

Joachim B. Hansen took a one shot lead into the final nine holes of the Oman Open as the weather affected event was set for a dramatic conclusion at Al Mouj Golf.

Joachim B. Hansen

The Dane had got to eight under in the morning as he completed his third round but two bogeys saw him sign for a 71 and enter the final 18 holes two shots behind Paraguayan Fabrizio Zanotti.

A front nine of 35 in round four then edged him to seven under, with nine players within three shots of the lead.

Spaniard Jorge Campillo, Swede Peter Hanson, Scotland's Scott Jamieson, American Kurt Kitayama and Frenchman Clément Sordet were at six under, a shot clear of Zanotti and German Maximilian Kieffer.

Last season's European Challenge Tour Rankings winner Hansen has a good record at Al Mouj Golf having finished second here in 2015, while Sordet won the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final over the layout in 2017.

Campillo's chances looked to be over in round two as he carded a 78 that included a nine on the par three fifth after finding the water three times.

He picked up three shots on Sunday morning in a third round 66 and brought that momentum into round four with birdies on the 12th, 13th and 16th.

That had him within two of the lead as Zanotti and Jamieson began their rounds with pars, and he was soon joined by Kitayama who birdied the second after a huge drive left him just a flick in to the green.

The Afrasia Bank Mauritius Open at Anahita champion was making a comeback of his own after starting the day six over for his round and seven shots off the lead but he picked up six birdies and an eagle in a third round 71 that kept him in contention.

Campillo added another birdie on the 17th from five feet and the 32-year-old was within one of the lead.

Kitayama then holed a long putt on the third and he was just one behind the leader.

Zanotti missed the green with his second and three putted on the fourth to surrender a double bogey but birdied the next to make it a four way tie.

Hansen had bogeyed the second but he picked the shot back up on the third and a long putt on the fifth meant there were five players sharing the lead.

An approach to three feet from Hansen on the next handed him a birdie and with Jamieson and Kitayama making bogeys on the tenth and seventh respectively, the leading logjam was broken - but not for long.

A Hansen bogey on the eighth made it a three way tie for the lead and Jamieson got up and down from sand on the 12th to extend that group to four.

Zanotti had to take a drop on the ninth after putting his tee shot into a bush and he recorded a double bogey, while Campillo three putted on the sixth.

Jamieson then dropped a shot on the 13th and it was Hansen ahead on his own at the turn.

Sordet also made a fast start with birdies on the first and third before recording seven consecutive pars to turn in 34.

Hanson had turned in 39 with bogeys on the first, fourth and sixth but a hat-trick of birdies from the tenth brought him right back into contention.

Kieffer was one over at the turn to sit alongside Zanotti, a shot clear of English pair Ashley Chesters and Chris Paisley.

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