The battle for the Open de España presented by Madrid title became much closer as day three drew to a close. Joe Dean and Grant Forrest share the lead at -13, but there is a sizeable chasing pack snapping at their heels. Among them is a player who is notable because of the way he plays the game: Jacob Skov Olesen is left-handed.
Being left-handed in golf is something of an oddity. It’s not extraordinary by any means, but you can count the number of players who address the ball from the right at any tournament on the fingers of one hand. One particular stat reveals how unlikely it is to see a southpaw triumph in Spain: since the Open de España became part of the European Tour in 1972, no left-handed player has won it. A 54-year drought. Records from previous editions are not detailed enough to check.
Moreover, the Dane is in the midst of an outstanding season. Two second places, a third and five other top tens are a symptom of his consistency, although he is yet to put the cherry on the cake with a win. On Sunday he has a superb chance to dispel that ghost and turn a great year into an exceptional one with a twist.
Olesen is currently twelve under par, just one shot behind the leaders, a position he shares with Joel Girrbach and Victor Perez. Three contenders, three different stories, all gunning for the same title in Madrid. The Dane, however, also has a chance to end a drought that has endured for over half a century.
