Seeking his first win on the DP World Tour, rookie Micheluzzi’s birdie-birdie finish at Laguna National Golf Resort Club was enough to edge him ahead, especially after Bairstow let a four-shot lead slip with two bogeys on the back nine.
Micheluzzi is no stranger to winning, having done so four times on the PGA Tour of Australasia in the past 17 months, an achievement that earned him his spot on the European tour.
But he revealed “a breakdown” after the third round of the Asian Tour’s New Zealand Open earlier this month, when he dropped from a tie for 12th to finish in a tie for 45th, had kick-started a revival in his game.
“There were a lot of things that were wrong and I just didn’t feel comfortable,” he said. “So, we basically changed everything, got a whole new set of clubs – I’ve got new irons, new driver, new three-wood, new grips, basically just did a whole reboot and it’s nice.”
A day after shooting a course record nine-under par, Sullivan’s three under 69 was impressive given he was five-over through the turn after back-to-back double bogeys on nine and 10, and a bogey on 12.
The Englishman said his caddie, Guy Tillston, had got him through “a roller coaster of emotions”, and that had helped him finish with three birdies in his closing four holes.
“I didn’t really know what to expect next, there was laughter, there was tears, there was anger there was all sorts going on out there today,” Sullivan said. “Guy [Tillston] got me through, really I was struggling going up 12, it was properly off. Kudos to him today, he got me through and got me back on to finish strong.”
Ratchanon’s recent performances belie the fact he is still only 17 years old. The Thai golfer finished in a tie for 21st alongside the likes of Sergio Garcia and Andy Ogletree at last week’s International Series Macau, and is in an event stronger position heading into the final round in Singapore.
Even so, he said while his score might suggest he was holding his own, there was plenty to learn; like how the 41-year-old Nicolas Colsaerts was out driving him by 30 yards.
“The holes where I teed off first, I actually took out my phone to film some videos of Nicolas Colsaerts,” Ratchanon said. “You double my age, add five and I’m still younger than him, yet he blasted 30 [yards] past me. I should find out how to do that. I did [tell him about the videos] actually. He didn’t seem to mind, fortunately.”
Further down the field, Taichi Kho, who made the cut on the number, struggled to a three-over 75 and is two over for the tournament.
The Hongkonger did not have much to say about the round, which started with a birdie and got progressively worse, with a double-bogey at the par-4 16th the lowlight.
“I’m going to have to execute my strategy a little bit better, just try to hit my lines a bit better and see what happens,” Kho said.
