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31 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 9 SEPTEMBER 2018 SPORTS GOLF Matt Fitzpatrick took con- trol of the Omega European Masters with a third-round 63 which put him in prime position to defend his title. Fitzpatrick looked in trou- ble early on in Friday's round but recovered to make eight birdies over the closing 14 holes, and he maintained that sort of tempo in a flawless Saturday move which ended in style courtesy of a monster birdie putt at the 18th. "Everything worked re- ally well today," he told Sky Sports. "When I came back here in 2015, for whatever reason I couldn't hit a draw, so I went with a fade and it's stuck ever since. "I think a fade round here really suits, it's really handy." Of the birdie on 18, Fitzpat- rick added: "We were just trying to make par, it was an absolute bonus. Hopefully things go to plan tomorrow. "Someone's going to come from somewhere tomorrow, you can get it going. Stick to my game plan and keep mak- ing birdies." Mike Lorenzo-Vera is in closest pursuit after a 64 earned the Frenchman a place in the final group, two off the pace and two clear of a big share of third which includes America's Doug Ghim and big-hitting Lucas Bjerregaard. Fitzpatrick birdied the second from close range and changed gear again with a long-range effort at the fifth, another from closer in at the sixth, and a perfectly- weighted chip-in eagle at the seventh. That gave him a three- shot lead which Lorenzo- Vera briefly cut to one, but Fitzpatrick birdied the 15th and 18th holes to establish a cushion over a player yet to win on the European Tour as he goes in search of a fifth title at the age of 24. Malaysia's Gavin Green also shot 63 to move into eighth alongside Thomas Aiken, with our 125/1 tip Nino Bertasio into the top 10 and alongside halfway leader Hi- deto Tanihara, who endured a difficult third round. Things were even worse for Danny Willett, who dropped from fourth to 60th with a nightmare 79, a round which ranked 66th of the 67 players who made the cut with only Australia's Josh Geary (81) faring worse. It was behind Willett that Fitzpatrick finished second here three years ago, and having won the title via a play-off last year he now has the chance to become the first man to defend the title since Seve Ballesteros in 1978. Omega European Masters: Matt Fitzpatrick in position to defend title Matt Fitzpatick: Out in front in the Swiss Alps