Derksen leads by two from Pablo Martin
in weather-delayed Ballantine's event
NEWS RELEASE FROM THE ASIAN TOUR
Jeju Island, Korea.: Robert-Jan Derksen of the Netherlands remained within touching distance of winning the €2.1 million Ballantine’s Championship title after taking the third-round lead today.
Derksen battled through the swirling winds and cold at the Pinx Golf Club to post a three-over-par 75 for a three-day total of six-under-par 210 to take a two shot lead over Spain’s Pablo Martin who recorded a 212 total.
Korea’s Kang Kyung-nam and Kang Wook-soon together with Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee are tied for third on 214, two shots behind Martin while three-time Major winner Ernie Els of South Africa was among the mix tied for sixth on 215.
Play was suspended for three hours in the morning due to heavy fog and when it finally resumed, Derksen quickly got his game going with a birdie on the par-4 fifth.
However, difficult wind conditions saw him drop shots on the sixth and ninth before he made amends with an eagle on the 10th straight after the turn.
Derksen bogeyed the 11th and mixed his card with another birdie on the 13th and four other bogeys recorded in his closing four holes.
“It was very tough. I think it was unfair and unplayable. I think there was definitely a lot of luck involved today,” said Derksen.
“It was unplayable and the only thing you can do is to just do your best. I did that on every shot I played today, and I'm still two in front. So I guess that's the best part of the day,” added the Dutch.
Thongchai chasing his 12th win on the Asian Tour, started off convincingly with two birdies in his opening four holes.
The Thai ace temporary took a share of the lead when Derksen dropped a shot on the par four sixth to go to nine-under.
However, a disastrous double bogey on the seventh followed by further bogeys on the eighth and ninth saw him slip back to second as gusty winds and chilly temperatures continued to lash across the course.
An eagle 3 on the 543yd par-5 10th at the start of his inward-nine temporary brought the smiles back for the 11-time Asian Tour winner.
But what followed after that were a double bogey and bogey on the 11th and 12th before birdies on the 14th and 15th appeared to have saved his game.
However, another double bogey on the 16th and two successive bogeys on the 17th and 18th meant that he would end the day with a 77 for a share of third place.
“It’s really crazy out there today. This just isn’t a day for playing golf. The winds made it so difficult to control your shots,” said Thongchai of the day where only Francois Delamontagne of France broke par.
“It was just was a very solid, long game, and I had a good putting on the short one, so that's the secret to making the putts in these conditions. But you know, I'm from the Brittany in France, and there's a lot of wind, as well,” said Delamontagne who finished in tied-six on 71.
Tournament marquee name Lee Westwood of England post a 76 to take a share of 27th place at the Ballantine’s Championship which is the first Asian Tour event in Korea this season to be sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour and Korean PGA.
THIRD ROUND LEADERS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
210 Robert-Jan Derksen (NED) 66-69-75
212 Pablo Martin (ESP) 69-69-74
214 Kang Kyung-nam (KOR) 66-73-75, Thongchai Jaidee (THA) 66-71-77,Kang Wook-soon (KOR) 68-69-77
215 Ernie Els (RSA) 68-74-73,Choi Gwang-soo (KOR) 71-70-74, Francois Delamontagne (FRA) 72-72-71, Mikko Ilonen (FIN) 68-73-74,Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (ESP) 65-74-76
216 Jason Knutzon (USA) 67-74-75, Rafael Cabrera B (ESP) 68-72-76, Andrew Dodt (AUS) 72-68-76, Kang Sung-Hoon (KOR) 69-71-76,Scott Barr (AUS) 68-72-76
Mardan Mamat (SIN) 69-70-77, Mark Brown (NZL) 65-73-78
217 Terry Pilkadaris (AUS) 75-68-74, Brett Rumford (AUS) 68-73-76, Choi Ho-sung (KOR) 69-72-76, Seve Benson (ENG) 69-70-78
Selected scores
220 - Lee Westwood (ENG) 71-73-76
226 – Fred Couples (USA) 69-76-81
in weather-delayed Ballantine's event
NEWS RELEASE FROM THE ASIAN TOUR
Jeju Island, Korea.: Robert-Jan Derksen of the Netherlands remained within touching distance of winning the €2.1 million Ballantine’s Championship title after taking the third-round lead today.
Derksen battled through the swirling winds and cold at the Pinx Golf Club to post a three-over-par 75 for a three-day total of six-under-par 210 to take a two shot lead over Spain’s Pablo Martin who recorded a 212 total.
Korea’s Kang Kyung-nam and Kang Wook-soon together with Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee are tied for third on 214, two shots behind Martin while three-time Major winner Ernie Els of South Africa was among the mix tied for sixth on 215.
Play was suspended for three hours in the morning due to heavy fog and when it finally resumed, Derksen quickly got his game going with a birdie on the par-4 fifth.
However, difficult wind conditions saw him drop shots on the sixth and ninth before he made amends with an eagle on the 10th straight after the turn.
Derksen bogeyed the 11th and mixed his card with another birdie on the 13th and four other bogeys recorded in his closing four holes.
“It was very tough. I think it was unfair and unplayable. I think there was definitely a lot of luck involved today,” said Derksen.
“It was unplayable and the only thing you can do is to just do your best. I did that on every shot I played today, and I'm still two in front. So I guess that's the best part of the day,” added the Dutch.
Thongchai chasing his 12th win on the Asian Tour, started off convincingly with two birdies in his opening four holes.
The Thai ace temporary took a share of the lead when Derksen dropped a shot on the par four sixth to go to nine-under.
However, a disastrous double bogey on the seventh followed by further bogeys on the eighth and ninth saw him slip back to second as gusty winds and chilly temperatures continued to lash across the course.
An eagle 3 on the 543yd par-5 10th at the start of his inward-nine temporary brought the smiles back for the 11-time Asian Tour winner.
But what followed after that were a double bogey and bogey on the 11th and 12th before birdies on the 14th and 15th appeared to have saved his game.
However, another double bogey on the 16th and two successive bogeys on the 17th and 18th meant that he would end the day with a 77 for a share of third place.
“It’s really crazy out there today. This just isn’t a day for playing golf. The winds made it so difficult to control your shots,” said Thongchai of the day where only Francois Delamontagne of France broke par.
“It was just was a very solid, long game, and I had a good putting on the short one, so that's the secret to making the putts in these conditions. But you know, I'm from the Brittany in France, and there's a lot of wind, as well,” said Delamontagne who finished in tied-six on 71.
Tournament marquee name Lee Westwood of England post a 76 to take a share of 27th place at the Ballantine’s Championship which is the first Asian Tour event in Korea this season to be sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour and Korean PGA.
THIRD ROUND LEADERS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
210 Robert-Jan Derksen (NED) 66-69-75
212 Pablo Martin (ESP) 69-69-74
214 Kang Kyung-nam (KOR) 66-73-75, Thongchai Jaidee (THA) 66-71-77,Kang Wook-soon (KOR) 68-69-77
215 Ernie Els (RSA) 68-74-73,Choi Gwang-soo (KOR) 71-70-74, Francois Delamontagne (FRA) 72-72-71, Mikko Ilonen (FIN) 68-73-74,Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (ESP) 65-74-76
216 Jason Knutzon (USA) 67-74-75, Rafael Cabrera B (ESP) 68-72-76, Andrew Dodt (AUS) 72-68-76, Kang Sung-Hoon (KOR) 69-71-76,Scott Barr (AUS) 68-72-76
Mardan Mamat (SIN) 69-70-77, Mark Brown (NZL) 65-73-78
217 Terry Pilkadaris (AUS) 75-68-74, Brett Rumford (AUS) 68-73-76, Choi Ho-sung (KOR) 69-72-76, Seve Benson (ENG) 69-70-78
Selected scores
220 - Lee Westwood (ENG) 71-73-76
226 – Fred Couples (USA) 69-76-81
Labels: ASIAN TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Saturday, April 25, 2009
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