Storm in front by 1 at European Masters
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Crans Montana, Switzerland (SportsNetwork.com) - Graeme Storm shot a 6-under 64 in Saturday's third round to break away from the pack and take a 1-shot lead heading into the final day at the European Masters.
A hole-in-one on the 11th hole got Storm going as he charged up the leaderboard late in his round.
Storm, who's lone victory on the European Tour came at the Open de France back in 2007, finished 54 holes at 16-under-par 194. It has not been a season full of success for Storm so far. He has missed 14 cuts in 23 tournaments, including his last two events.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tommy Fleetwood took over sole possession of second place with a 7-under 63 on Saturday on the Alpine Course at Crans-sur-Sierre. Fleetwood is one shot back at 15-under 195.
Entering the final hole tied for the lead with Storm, Brooks Koepka double- bogeyed the 18th to fall two shots back at minus-14. Koepka carded a 4-under 66 on Saturday.
David Lipsky (66) is alone in fourth at 13-under 197, while second-round leader and this event's 2012 champion Richie Ramsay (70), European Ryder Cup team member Jamie Donaldson (69) and Tyrrell Hatton (65) are all tied for fifth at minus-12.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Defending champion Thomas Bjorn (68), who has two wins and two runner-up finishes at this tournament, is well off the pace at 4-under 206.
Starting the day two shots back of the lead, Storm made two straight pars before pouring in his first birdie at No. 3. Storm finished off his front nine with three birdies in four holes at six, seven and nine to go along with a bogey on eight.
Another bogey at 10 dropped Storm back to 2-under for the day, but it was the next hole where he really began to make his move.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}At the par-3, 217-yard 11th hole, Storm's choice of a 6-iron was perfect as he drained his tee shot for a hole-in-one, getting him to minus-4.
"Pure ecstasy. It was just incredible," Storm said about his feelings when he saw the ball go in from back on the tee. "I got a member's bounce off the bank, but I've been here a few times so I've probably just about earned it."
From there Storm made three birdies on his final six holes at 13, 15 and 17, while making his third bogey on 14. Storm finished things off with a par at the 18th to finish at minus-6.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I think the birdie at probably 13, to make a two there, obviously I made (a hole-in-one) on the previous par-3, but that kind of just got me grounded again a little bit," Storm said. "Kept me focused. Although I made bogey at the next hole, was unfortunate there, but then I bounced back with another birdie at 15 which was huge."
Fleetwood started his round birdie-bogey and he was even through four holes when he began to make his move.
Back-to-back birdies on five and six were followed by two straight pars. Fleetwood made the turn with four birdies in a five-hole stretch from nine. Fleetwood finished off his day with four pars and a birdie on 17 to end one shot back.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I'll take 63," Fleetwood said. "Just a really good day. Everything just went well. I stayed patient early on ... Just to play well and then hole a few putts and get a score going to put myself up on the leaderboard is just great."
Koepka was rolling early with four birdies on the front nine and two on the back at 10 and 15. After a pair of pars at 16 and 17, Koepka seemed poised to at least have a share of the lead going into Sunday, but he made a mess of the last hole en route to a double-bogey.
NOTES: Storm's best finish this season was a tie for 22nd at the Joburg Open ... Fleetwood's lone win on tour came at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles last year ... Koepka has never won on tour, but he does have three top-10 finishes this season.