Golf Jun 18, 2026

DP World Tour: Andrew 'Beef' Johnston falls back at Austrian Alpine Open as Kota Kaneko leads heading into final round

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By Admin
Sports Journalist
DP World Tour: Andrew 'Beef' Johnston falls back at Austrian Alpine Open as Kota Kaneko leads heading into final round

Andrew 'Beef' Johnston fell back after starting the day atop the leaderboard at the Austrian Alpine Open and sits four shots off the pace set by Japan's Kota Kaneko heading into Sunday's final round.

The 37-year-old surged to the summit on Friday with his but inconsistency on Saturday saw him end the day even-par for his round.

Kaneko, meanwhile, struck six birdies and a bogey as he went round in 65 for the third straight day to surge to the front of the pack heading into Sunday. He sits one shot ahead of Portugal's Ricardo Gouveia, who shot a bogey-free 63, with Zhou Yanhan of China a further shot back.

Dutchman Joost Luiten then sits ahead of a cluster of players which includes Johnston, who is attempting to end a 10-year trophy drought on the DP World Tour; his fellow Englishman Joe Dean and Scotland's Calum Hill.

Johnston, who last won on the DP World Tour at the 2016 Open de Espana, has struggled with injuries in the decade since and will require a big performance on Sunday if he is to reel in Kaneko - who is eyeing a maiden DP World Tour title, having finished as runner-up at last week's Soudal Open.

Home favourite Bernd Wiesberger, a nine-time winner on the DP World Tour, is also in the group alongside the three British players, while fellow Austrian Sepp Straka almost sent the home crowd into raptures after coming close to a hole-in-one on the last.

Straka sits two shots behind his compatriot but still holding an outside chance heading into Sunday.

"I've been putting really well and also my tee shots have been great. I've given myself a lot of chances and I took advantage of those," Kaneko said.

"The golf courses in Turkey and also Belgium really suited me. I like it here in Austria too and I feel confident off the tee at the moment.

"I think I will be nervous tomorrow but if I play my game I think I can do well and have a good result."

Watch the Austrian Alpine Open live on Your Site. Final-round coverage begins at 7.30am on Sunday on Your Site Golf after play was brought forward due to expected bad weather later in the day. or

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