Dan Brown fired a second successive six-under-par 65 to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the BMW International Open at Golfclub München Eichenried.
The Englishman’s round included an eagle, six birdies and a lone bogey as he moved to 16 under and edged ahead of compatriot Jordan Smith, who sits solo second on 15 under.
The Netherlands’ Joost Luiten carded a 65 with eight birdies and a bogey to reach 13 under and sits third.
Overnight leader Davis Bryant slipped to a share of fourth on 12 under alongside Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan, Japan’s Yuto Katsuragawa, England’s Marco Penge and Dane Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen.
Spain’s Ivan Cantero, South Africa’s Brandon Stone and China’s Wu Ashun are tied for ninth on 11 under.
Brown, who won his maiden DP World Tour title at the 2023 ISPS Handa World Invitational, is now in pole position to claim a second trophy.
“It wasn’t as controlled as yesterday,” said Brown. “I felt I got away with a couple of shots where I was being sensible – middle of the green – and pushed or pulled them. But I played nicely coming in.”
“I didn’t feel like I was under any pressure all day. I felt pretty relaxed and having a laugh and joke with my caddie. Then I said to him on the 18th green, ‘This is for a 29,’ and I left the eagle putt short …”
Brown admitted that he’s tried to keep his focus away from the possibility of winning.
“I’ve not really thought about it. Something happened last week at home – win or lose tomorrow … I’m not sure to be honest. I’ve not really thought about it.”
The 30-year-old got off the mark with a birdie at the 6th, added another at the 7th from 15 feet, and dropped his only shot of the day at the 8th.
He bounced back with birdies at the par-five 11th and 12th, then holed from 20 feet at the 15th to reach 13 under. At the par-four 16th, he drained a turning downhill putt for eagle to pull level with Smith, who had birdied the same hole moments earlier.
Smith, a two-time DP World Tour winner, had set the clubhouse target with a 66 that featured six birdies and a bogey. He was unable to pick up a final gain at the par-five 18th, where Brown made birdie from five feet to take the outright lead.
– Edited report from DP World Tour website
Photo: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
