Zander Lombard holds narrowest of leads going into final round in Austria

South Africa’s Zander Lombard recovered from throwing away a three-shot lead to remain in pole position to win his first European Tour title in the Lyoness Open.

Lombard surged clear of the field with four birdies in the first seven holes at Diamond Country Club, only to lose a ball with a wild drive into the trees on the ninth to run up a triple-bogey seven.

China’s Wu Ashun took advantage to move into the outright lead with three birdies in five holes from the 10th on his way to a flawless 65, but Lombard responded superbly to reclaim top spot.

Birdies on the 11th, 14th and 17th saw the world number 296 complete a 68 to finish 11 under par and a shot ahead of Wu, with Spain’s Adrian Otaegui and France’s Gregory Bourdy another shot back.

“I’m very pleased,” Lombard told Sky Sports. “I really struck the ball phenomenally today, left myself a lot of opportunities and made the best of them.

“It was a bit of a brain burp at the ninth, to be honest, because it was never a driver for me all week — my play there was a two-iron — but my confidence got to me and I just wanted to hit a little cut off the left bunker and I came out of it a little.

“I kept my cool after the triple and to finish strong with three birdies on the back nine I’m very pleased with the round and looking forward to tomorrow.”

Wu, who became the first Chinese player to win a European Tour event on home soil in the China Open last year, had covered the front nine in 32 and added birdies on the 10th, 13th and 14th to finish 10 under.

“I made a lot of birdies today and no bogeys so I’m getting a really good feeling at the moment,” Wu said. “I just need to keep going now, don’t slow down and keep making birdies.”

Bourdy shared the halfway lead with Lombard and recovered from two double bogeys in the first eight holes, caused by finding water off the tee each time, to play the last seven holes in three under and remain in contention for a fifth European Tour title.

Former champion Joost Luiten and England’s Richard McEvoy were a shot further back on eight under, with Luiten needing to finish third or better to move into the world’s top 60 and qualify for next week’s US Open.

Sweden’s Marcus Kinhult, who has made just one halfway cut in nine events this season, carded a flawless 65 to move into seventh place on seven under, one ahead of playing partner Chris Paisley and fellow Englishman James Morrison.

Paisley, who carded nine birdies and three bogeys in a 66, told Sky Sports: “It was brilliant, especially considering my recent form. It’s been a pretty poor season so far and it was really nice to play well again and I had a lot of fun.

“To be honest I did not play particularly well the first two days but my chipping and putting was brilliant and kept me in it. Today I just found the groove with my swing and hit a lot of iron shots really close.”

Defending champion Chris Wood was frustrated by several three-putts as he carded a 70 to finish seven shots off the pace on four under.