Pampling recovers from shaky start to keep lead

Australia’s Rod Pampling recovered from a shaky start to yesterday's third round of the centenary Australian Open to retain the outright lead going into the final day.

Pampling started the third day four strokes in front but finished just one ahead after shooting a three-over-par 74 for a three round total of five-under-par 208.

Richard Green, a runner-up three times this season on the European PGA Tour, carded a 67, the best round of the day, to move into second place a shot behind Pampling who won his first US PGA Tour event at Colorado in August.

First-round leader Kurt Barnes, a coal miner's son trying to scratch out a living as a professional golfer, was a shot back at three-under after shooting 72.

Stuart Appleby (72) and Paul Gow (71) were tied at two-under while a bunch of 11 players were within six shots of the leader heading into the final round of one of the world's oldest national championships.

Pampling, best known for leading the first round of the 1999 British Open at Carnoustie only to miss the cut, made a terrible start, bogeying three of the first five holes to relinquish his lead but regained his composure to finish the day with his nose in front.

“That was a tough day at the office,” he said. “But I know that's the worst I could have shot so I'm still happy to be in the lead knowing that.”

Green also had a mixed day, taking double-bogey at the par-5 fifth but making amends with an eagle 3 on the 14th.

However, the shot of the day came from Andre Stoltz who made a hole-in-one at the par-3 second despite being out of contention for the title.

Britain’s Stephen Dodd was perfectly placed to win his first European Tour title after preserving a three-shot lead in the third round of the China Open.

The Welshman fired a two-under-par 70 for an eight-under 208. Danish pair Thomas Bjorn and Soren Hansen are tied for second on 211 at the first event on the 2005 European Tour.

“I didn't drive the ball very well,” said the 38-year-old Dodd. “But the rest of the game was pretty solid. We'll have to wait and see what happens tomorrow.”

Dodd led by three shots overnight after firing a 70 in near-freezing conditions in Friday's second round in Shanghai.

He held on to that advantage despite a triple-bogey yesterday. Dodd took seven on the 408-yard seventh after finding water with his approach shot.

Pre-tournament fav-ourite Bjorn shot a 68 that included three straight birdies from the 14th. He missed an opportunity to edge closer to Dodd when he three-putted for par on the 18th.

Hansen, who fractured a finger on his left hand playing basketball nine days ago, had a 70. Welshman Bradley Dredge also fired 70 to finish in fourth in the $1 million tournament on four-under.