Sergio Garcia one stroke behind leaders in Castellon
Spain's Sergio Garcia tees off from the 4th hole during the third round of Madrid Masters golf tournament in Madrid October 10, 2009.
Credit: Reuters/Dani Cardona
CASTELLON, Spain (Reuters) - Sergio Garcia was one shot off leaders Martin Kaymer and Robert Allenby in the Castellon Masters after the defending champion finished off his second round early on Saturday.
Garcia, the tournament host, had an eventful three holes but finished on the same 11-under-par mark he had been overnight.
A three-under 68 left him a shot behind Germany's Kaymer and Australian Allenby, who finished their second round on Friday. More than three hours was lost through a suspension for high winds in Thursday's first round.
World number 10 Garcia, still looking for his first win of the season, had a bogey on the 16th when he returned to the course but hit back immediately with a birdie on 17.
The Spaniard then avoided three-putting to drop another shot on 18 by holing an eight-footer.
"That putt was important mentally," Garcia told Reuters.
"I didn't want two bogeys in three holes on the card. The 16th gets your heart pumping anyway, so it was a difficult start to the morning. But if you had offered me 11-under after two rounds on Thursday morning I would have taken it."
His playing-partner Jose Maria Olazabal had to hole a tricky three-footer for par on the 15th he had left overnight. The two-times U.S. Masters champion's three other pars for a 67 put him in his best position since making yet another injury comeback.
Olazabal shares fourth place, two strokes off the lead, with Argentine Daniel Vancsik, Swede Michael Jonzon and India's Shiv Kapur.
(Editing by Peter Rutherford
