A six under par 66 took him to 11 under par 205, one clear of playing partner Barry Lane of England, who shot a 67, and Argentina’s Eduardo Romero, who carded a 71 with Sweden’s Patrick Sjöland a further shot back after a 73.

It’s been eight years since Broadhurst won the last of his four titles on The European Tour International Schedule, his victory in the 1995 Open de France coming the year after the birth of twins Alex and Sophie. Sam, was born in 1997, and none of his three children can remember their Dad winning, a fact brought home to Broadhurst on a recent trip to the supermarket.

Recounting the incident, he said: “My kids can’t remember me winning. We were standing in the queue when a guy tapped me on the shoulder and started saying ‘Ah, you’re Paul Broadhurst’, and my little lad turned round and said ‘My Daddy used to be a good golfer.’ He can’t remember me playing well. So if I could win another tournament I would be quite happy.”

After winning four times and earning Ryder Cup honours in 1991, Broadhurst suffered serious injury to his right hand during the second round of the 2000 Dubai Desert Classic which required surgery. He played the following season on a medical exemption but had to go to the Qualifying School at the end of the year and was unable to gain a card. He put that right in 2002 and regained his full exempt status in 2003 after two top ten finishes.

“It’s been a long time since I was last leading,” he said. “The last six rounds I have played have all been under par by at least two so I am on a decent run. If I can keep that going tomorrow it might be enough.”

Broadhurst, who lives about half an hour away in Witherley, will get plenty of local support in his bid to keep the title in the Midlands following last year’s victory by Mansfield’s Greg Owen.

Lane, playing his 499th European Tour event, will also be chasing his fifth title on The European Tour International Schedule and his wait has been even longer than Broadhurst having last won in the 1994 Turespana Open de Baleares.

Playing almost 500 events has done nothing to dull his enthusiasm for the game though. “I want to be competitive and win and also get in the world top 50 so I can play in all the world events that everyone speaks about. It doesn’t feel as like 500 events. It is great to still be competitive at 44 and still playing.”

With the Tour’s elder statesmen playing a prominent role, Romero will tomorrow attempt to create history as the oldest winner on The European Tour, aged 49 years and 297 days. That record is currently held by Ireland’s Des Smyth but Romero is firmly in the hunt for his ninth European Tour title.
 

Courtesy of www.europeantour.com