South African Ernie Els jumped to a four-stroke lead and appears to have the $1.3 million Heineken Classic at his mercy after another sub-par round in the third round at Royal Melbourne today.
The world No.5 looks set to embark on his US campaign this month with an early season victory after he fired a three-under 69 to stand at 14-under 202. Australian Peter O'Malley, who added a 70 to his two opening rounds of 68, was in second place.
The anticipated duel between Els and Australian icon Greg Norman failed to eventuate with 46-year-old Norman, trailing by three at the start of the round, fading to a one-over 73 and falling behind his playing partner by seven shots overall.
Els began shakily and gave up shots at the fourth and sixth holes, which he believed he had over-clubbed, but his round took off with an eagle-three at the 10th.
He played the back nine solidly as the wind picked up and watched his rivals come and go.
O'Malley put some pressure on Els with birdies on the 10th, 12th and 14th to get to 11-under, but a bogey at the 17th stalled his pursuit.
New Zealand's two-time champion Michael Campbell has an outside chance of raking up his hat-trick of titles, but is giving Els six strokes over the closing 18 holes.
Campbell, who won the Heineken Classic in 2000 and 2001 when it was held at The Vines in Perth before it switched to Royal Melbourne, garnered five birdies to be in a clutch of five players at eight-under 208.
Tournament surprise packet, Richard Lee of New Zealand, followed up his course record 62 on Friday with a 71 to join them along with Australian Stephen Leaney (70-66-72).
Lee began spectacularly with his approach from 75 metres going in at the first.
Six-times majors champion Nick Faldo improved to seven-under 209 after four birdies in his opening 10 holes before a bogey at the 12th to finish with a 69 and lie joint eighth with Australians, Adam Scott, Peter Fowler and Robert Allenby, and Englishman Philip Golding.
Former British Open and USPGA champion John Daly, who scraped past Friday's halfway cut on par 144, had another up-and-down round with four birdies and three bogeys in his 71 to be equal 44th on one-under 215.
AFP