Standard Life Leven Gold Medal last-round fireworks

McLEAN’S EIGHT-BIRDIE BLITZ GIVES

HIM FIRST FOUR-ROUND VICTORY

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Peterhead’s Philip McLean produced a stunning last round of eight-under-par 63, one shot outside the course record, to win the oldest amateur stroke-play golf championship in the world, the Standard Life Leven Amateur Golf Medal.
McLean, a 22-year-old former Scotland youth cap, has been gaining valuable tournament experience over the past year or so and got close winning his first ever 72 hole event over the same Leven Links in April when he was beaten by Glenn Campbell at the second hole of a play-off after they had tied in the Scottish champion of champions’ tournament.
This time McLean broke his duck with a winning surge over the last 18 holes.
The first three rounds had seen three different players in the lead. Walker Cup reserve Paul O’Hara (Colville Park) made the first-round pace with a 67. Banchory’s James Byrne added a 66 to his opening 68 to be the halfway leader on 134.
Then Campbell, the 2005 Scottish champion at Southerness, came storming home in six-under-par 31 for a 66, that suddenly lifted him four shots clear of the field on 202.
That seemed to have put Campbell in the driving seat with 18 holes to play, four ahead of O’Hara and Byrne with McLean and Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs) joint fourth on 207.
But Campbell could do no better than a 70 in the final round for 272 and it was McLean who made the most of the now receptive greens, softened up by afternoon rain. Like a young man inspired, Philip made up nine shots on the Murrayshall greenkeeper to score his first Order of Merit tournament win with a fine aggregate of 14-under-par 270.
McLean’s bogey-free 63 scorecard read:
OUT: 4 3 4 4 3 5 2 4 2 – 31 (three under par)
IN: 3 3 4 5 3 2 4 4 4 – 32 (five under par).
He had birdies at the second, seventh, ninth, 10th, 11th, 12th, 14th and 15th. A birdie at any of the last three holes would have equalled the course record but it was not to be. Wisely, McLean did not go for broke over the closing holes, knowing that he had almost certainly done enough to gain the coveted Leven Gold Medal.
Craigielaw’s Mark Hillson, the only Scot to reach the last eight of the British amateur championship, matched McLean’s red-hot scoring with a 63 which carried him from joint eighth with a round to go to finish a shot behind the winner of 271.
Hillson sank a raker of a putt across the 18th green to finish with a birdie and pip Campell (272) for second place.
Byrne finished fourth on 274 and Kris Nicoll from Fraserburgh made it two “Buchan boys” in the top five with a closing 67 for 275. And there was a third young Northerner in Nairn’s Fraser Fotheringham, joint sixth with Ross Kellett (Colville Park) on 276.


STANDARD LIFE LEVEN GOLD MEDAL
Leven Golfing Society.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 CSS 72 72 72 71
270 Philip McLean (Peterhead) 69 68 70 63.
271 Mark Hillson (Craigielaw) 71 65 72 73.
272 Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) 68 68 66 70.
274 James Byrne (Banchory) 68 66 72 68.
275 Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) 71 68 69 67.
276 Ross Kellett (Colville Park) 70 71 67 68, Fraser Fotheringham (Nairn) 69 71 68 68.
277 Paul O’Hara (Colville Park) 67 71 68 71.
278 James White (Lundin) 82 82 67 67, Paul Betty (Hayston) 72 70 68 68, Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs) 71 68 68 71.
280 Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 73 69 69 69, Greg Paterson (St Andrews New) 72 68 70 70.
281 Brian Souotar (Leven GS) 73 69 70 69, James Ross (Royal Burgess) 75 71 65 70.
282 Peter Latimer (St Andrews New) 69 73 72 68, Lewis Kirton (Newmachar) 74 72 67 69, Paul Ferrier (Baberton) 68 71 73 70.
283 Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie) 70 72 70 71.
284 Greg Nicholson (Mortonhall) 77 69 68 70, Barry McDermott (Leven GS) 70 75 69 70., Kevin McAlpine (Alyth) 72 72 70 70.
285 Ed Wood (Crow Wood) 69 78 70 68, Martin Brown (Monifieth Links) 69 72 72 72..
286 Myles Cunningham (Craigielaw) 74 71 73 68

287 Nick Barr (CraigieHill) 75 70 74 68, Grant McNab (Lundin) 74 70 75 68, Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) 73 74 71 69,Aaron Sweeney (Carnoustie) 71 77 68 71, Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe) 73 71 71 72.
288 Richard Graham (Hayston) 74 70 76 68, Brian Erskine (Ladybank) 74 71 72 71.
289 Kristofer Harper (Carnoustie) 75 73 70 71, Gordon Yates (Hilton Park) 73 72 72 72, Alex Main (Thornton) 71 74 71 73.
290 Scott Borrowman (Dollar) 75 71 75 69, Graham Robertson (Silverknowes) 73 72 74 71.
291 Gary Tough (Letham Grange) 75 73 71 72.
292 Jimmy White (Leven Thistle) 71 77 72 72.
294 Bobby Rushford (Grangemouth) 72 76 71 75.
296 Darren Gould (Ldybank) 75 73 75 73.

Bland beats Boyd to win Bad Ragaz Seniors

From Paul Symes, European Senior Tour Press Officer
Fourteen years after his first, John Bland captured his second European Senior Tour title on a day of high drama in the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open.
The South African, who won the London Masters in his maiden Senior Tour season in 1995, eventually saw off overnight leader Bob Boyd of America with a birdie on the second hole of a sudden death play-off after both men had finished the day level at Golf Club Bad Ragaz in Switzerland.
Bland finished on 11 under par courtesy of a round of 65 which featured four birdies and an eagle two at the seventh hole, whilst Boyd reached the same mark with a birdie at the last hole – only his second of the day.
In contrast, former Ryder Cup player Sam Torrance of Scotland closed with a bogey to sign for a round of 65 which saw him finish one shot shy of the duo on ten under par.
Moments after collecting the trophy and a cheque for €33,000 which lifts him to 14th place in the Order of Merit, Bland – at 63 the second oldest winner in Senior Tour history behind England’s Neil Coles – dedicated the win to his wife Sonja, who was on hand with some words of advice earlier in the week.
“She told me to slow down because I was swinging too fast and it seemed to do the trick,” said Bland, who sets the record for the biggest gap between Senior Tour victories of 13 years and 313 days.
He added: “I knew I had to get some early birdies on the board this morning to try to put soe pressure on the leaders, and fortunately enough I was able to do it. If I’m being honest I probably thought I was too far back to win the tournament, but maybe that allowed me to relax more and just play my natural game. Though obviously the mindset changed and the pressure came back when I reached 11 under par and saw I was winning the tournament!
“I watched Bob [Boyd] playing the last hole, and he hit a great putt to take it to a play-off. When we were on our way to the 18th tee he apologised to me because he said he’d hardly made a putt all day! That was really good of him, and just shows the sort of camaraderie that exists on the Senior Tour.”
Bland will now head to Fife for the Cleveland Golf/Srixon Scottish Senior Open, where he will hope to close the gap further on the players at the top of the Order of Merit.
He said: “I’m not really thinking of winning the Order of Merit, but it’d be nice to give the likes of Woosie and Sam [Torrance] a bit of a scare.”
Boyd climbed six places to 12th in the Order of Merit, whilst Torrance closed the gap on second-placed Ian Woosnam of Wales courtesy of his cheque for €15,400. Boyd’s compatriot Doug Johnson finished behind Torrance in fourth place after closing with a round of 69.
FINAL TOTALS
199 J Bland (RSA) 65 69 65, B Boyd (USA) 65 65 69 (Bland won play-off at second extra hole).
200 S Torrance (Sco) 72 63 65,
202 D Johnson (USA) 66 67 69,
203 A Murray (Eng) 70 70 63, C Williams (RSA) 72 67 64, B Longmuir (Sco) 70 65 68, J Quiros (Esp) 70 66 67,
204 M Clayton (Aus) 66 68 70, E Rodriguez (Esp) 72 63 69, R Chapman (Eng) 68 70 66, K Tomori (Jpn) 67 66 71, G Encina (Chi) 69 73 62, E Darcy (Irl) 67 70 67, G Cali (Ita) 71 68 65, B Lincoln (RSA) 68 68 68, D O'Sullivan (Irl) 69 66 69,
205 B Smit (RSA) 67 67 71, J Hall (Eng) 68 67 70, M Harwood (Aus) 64 69 72, G Brand Jnr (Sco) 65 68 72, N Ratcliffe (Aus) 69 66 70, T Giedeon (Ger) 68 70 67,
206 A Fernandez (Chi) 70 68 68, L Carbonetti (Arg) 68 68 70, J Bruner (USA) 69 71 66,
207 C Mason (Eng) 67 71 69, J Rivero (Esp) 72 68 67, N Job (Eng) 67 71 69, P Oakley (USA) 71 70 66, K Spurgeon (Eng) 72 68 67, C Rocca (Ita) 69 68 70, M Cunning (USA) 75 66 66, G Towne (USA) 72 66 69, D Good (Aus) 67 70 70, G Brand (Eng) 68 71 68, D Russell (Eng) 69 68 70,
208 H Carbonetti (Arg) 66 70 72, T Allen (Eng) 75 68 65,
209 G Ryall (Eng) 67 69 73, J Chillas (Sco) 69 70 70, S Ginn (Aus) 70 74 65, M Williams (Zim) 70 73 66, P Allan (Eng) 73 69 67,
210 D Hospital (Esp) 69 71 70, T Johnstone (Zim) 70 66 74, D Creamer (Eng) 67 70 73, G Marsh (Aus) 73 69 68, D Cambridge (Jam) 73 67 70, P Fowler (Aus) 72 70 68, D Durnian (Eng) 77 63 70,
211 M Piñero (Esp) 67 72 72, M Farry (Fra) 72 69 70, B Cameron (Eng) 67 73 71,
212 J Heggarty (Nir) 71 79 62, J Rhodes (Eng) 72 67 73, T Gale (Aus) 71 68 73, S Bennett (Eng) 72 68 72, S Owen (Nzl) 68 71 73, J Hoskison (Eng) 72 70 70, G Watine (Fra) 74 69 69,
213 B Charles (Nzl) 71 72 70, G Ralph (Eng) 74 70 69, P Mitchell (Eng) 73 67 73,
215 P Teravainen (USA) 67 76 72, D Merriman (Aus) 73 72 70,
216 E Polland (Nir) 75 70 71, T Price (Wal) 72 71 73, H Schumacher (Sui) 79 69 68,
217 I Mosey (Eng) 77 70 70,
218 P Brostedt (Swe) 74 70 74,
219 M Miller (Sco) 75 72 72, M Bembridge (Eng) 78 71 70,
220 A Garrido (Esp) 75 70 75,

Glenn Campbell goes four shots clear with

one round to go in Leven Gold Medal

Winner of the season-opening Scottish champion of champions' tournament, Glenn Campbell of Blairgowrie is en route to complete the big one-season Leven double by winning the Standard Life Leven Amateur Golf Medal today.
The Murrayshall greenkeeper jumped four shots clear of the field with a brilliant third-round 66. He came storming home in 31 to put daylight between himself and the field.
With a 54-hole tally of 11-under-par 202 over the par-71 links, Glenn leads from two players on 206, Walker Cup reserve Paul O'Hara (Colville Park) and the halfway pace-setter James Byrne (Banchory).
HOW THEY STAND
Par 213 (3x71)
202 Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) 68 68 66.
206 Paul O'Hara (Colville Park) 67 71 68, James Byrne (Banchory 68 66 72.
207 Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs) 71 68 68, Philip McLean (Peterhead) 69 68 70.
208 Ross Kellett (Colville Park) 70 71 67, Fraser Fotheringham (Nairn) 69 71 68, Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) 71 68 69, Mark Hillson (Craigielaw) 71 65 72.
210 Paul Betty (Hayston) 72 70 68, Greg Paterson (St Andrews New) 72 68 70.
211 James Ross (Royal Burgess) 75 71 65, James White (LUndin) 72 72 67, Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 73 69 69.
212 Brian Soutar (Leven Golfing Society) 73 69 70, Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie) 70 72 70, Paul Ferrier (Baberton) 68 71 73, Lewis Kirton (Newmachar) 74 72 67.
213 Martin Brown (Monifieth Links) 69 72 72.
214 Greg Nicholson (Mortonhall) 77 69 68, Barry McDermott (Leven G~S) 77 69 68, Kevin McAlpine (Alyth) 72 72 70, Peter Latimer (St Andrews New) 69 73 72.
215 Allan Dick (Kingsknowe) 73 71 71.
216 Aaron Sweeney (Carnoustie) 71 77 68, Alex Main (Thornton) 71 74 71.
217 Ed Wood (Crow Wood) 69 78 70, Brian Erskine (Ladybank) 74 71 72, Gordon Yates (Hilton Park) 73 72 72.
218 Kristofer Harper (Carnoustie) 75 73 70, Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) 73 74 71, Myles Cunningham (Craigielaw) 74 71 73.
219 Gary Tough (Letham Grange) 75 73 71, Bobby Rushford (Grangemeouth) 72 76 71, Nick Barr (Craigie Hll) 75 70 74, Graham Robertson (Silverknowes 73 72 74, Grant McNab (Lundin) 74 70 75.
220 Jimmy White (Leven Thistle) 71 77 72, Richard Graham (Hayston) 74 70 76.
221 Scott Borrowman (Dollar) 75 71 75.
223 Darren Gould (Ladybank) 75 73 75, Chris Harkins (Ayr Belleisle) 73 74 76, Ed Rankine (Leven Thistle) 73 72 78.

McLeary is weary in Finland

By GORDON SIMPSON
European Tour Director of Communications
Jamie McLeary finally ran out of steam following his exceptional efforts in Scotland last week by slipping back into a tie for 60th place in the SK Golf Challenge at Linna Golf in Finland today.
It was a case of weary McLeary as the Edinburgh golfer came up short in his bid to win back to back titles following his superb victory in the Scottish Hydro Challenge in Aviemore.
McLeary, who had been in contention at halfway, followed a third round 74 with a closing 80 for a five over par total of 293, the same mark as compatriot Lloyd Saltman (77) and three better than Eric Ramsay (74).
The water hazard at the 18th proved distinctly frustrating for McLeary who ran up a quintuple bogey 9 for an inward half of 42 and an eight over par 80.
Glasgow’s Andrew McArthur helped his chance to move higher in the Challenge Tour Rankings with a closing round of 70 for a six under par aggregate of 282 while Scott Jamieson and George Murray tied for 27th on 286, two under par.

PLAY-OFF VICTORY BY COLSAERTS OVER DAVIES, GUERRIER

Nicolas Colsaerts denied Rhys Davies a second play-off victory in the space of three weeks as he made amends for a recent sudden-death defeat of his own by capturing the SK Golf Challenge in Finland.
The 26 year old from Brussels produced a stunning finish at Linna Golf, birdieing the last two holes in regulation time for a closing 66 then delivering the rapier thrust with another birdie three on the 18th – the second play-off hole – to edge out Davies and Frenchman Julien Guerrier.
Colsaerts celebrated his first professional success since turning professional on his 18th birthday in 2000, just three days before going on to earn his card at The European Tour Qualifying School.
“It’s taken me nine years for this first professional event and it feels really good” said a relieved Colsaerts, who becomes the third Belgian golfer to win on the Challenge Tour following Nicolas Vanhootegem and Didier De Vooght.
Colsaerts’s final 66 lifted him from the pack – he started the last day five shots in arrears – and his total of 277, 11 under par, was matched in quick succession by Welshman Davies (also 66) and Guerrier (71), whose five putt par putt for outright victory on the last just lipped out.
The Belgian jumps to seventh place on the Challenge Tour Rankings with €60,454 after pocketing the winner’s cheque for €28,000 while Davies – winner of the SWALEC Wales Challenge last month – and Guerrier climb to 14th and 12th respectively.
He added: “I felt I should have won in Ireland in June but lost a play-off to Robert Coles, so I am glad to come out as a winner this time. I was glad to put in such a strong finish and I knew I just had to sit and wait to see what the others did.”
Davies shrugged off the disappointment of defeat, saying: “It was Nicolas’s turn this week. I had my moment in Wales and I’ve not complaints. I regard this as another good week and I feel that a second victory isn’t far away.
“The main thing is to get into contention and handle that feeling. I want to give myself chance to win on a regular basis and this is a big positive as I thought I had no chance going into the back nine. To play a course of this quality in 31 was very encouraging.”
Over 5000 Finns fans turned out in glorious sunny weather to cheer on their home favourites, Mikko Ilonen, Antti Ahokas and Roope Kakko, but it wasn’t to be a day for a home victory, the trio finishing tied 26th, tied ninth and eighth respectively. However the crowds helped create a
tremendous atmosphere which inspired the field to great things.
Guerrier, the 2006 Amateur Champion, came agonisingly close to making his Challenge Tour breakthrough, but bunkered his approach to the last when needing a par for victory. He splashed out superbly to five feet but missed the putt.
All three protagonists had birdie opportunities from close range at the first visit to the 18th for the play-off but no-one could seize the day. At the second attempt, Guerrier did well to make a par from the fringe while Davies missed from 25 feet.
It was left to Colsaerts to size up his opportunity and grab it with both hands from 12 feet, leaving Davies and Guerrier to reflect on successful but ultimately frustrating weeks.
Guerrier said: “Unfortunately my putter wasn’t hot enough on the back nine today. I had quite a few birdie chances but couldn’t make many. Overall I am disappointed but feel that I am learning all the time. That’s what you have to do out here.”

FINAL TOTALS
277 N Colsaerts (Bel) 70 71 70 66, J Guerrier (Fra) 71 68 67 71, R Davies (Wal) 66 76 69 66 (Colsaerts beat Guerrier and Davies at second hole of a sudden-death play-off).
278 J Lima (Por) 70 68 72 68,
279 R Coles (Eng) 71 69 68 71, R McEvoy (Eng) 71 71 66 71, J Olesen (Den) 67 73 66 73,
280 R Kakko (Fin) 71 69 67 73,
281 J Quesne (Fra) 73 68 67 73, M Tullo (Chi) 71 72 67 71, A Ahokas (Fin) 66 74 71 70, G Houston (Wal) 70 73 70 68,
282 A Rocha (Bra) 72 70 70 70, O Floren (Swe) 69 74 66 73, A McArthur (Sco) 70 75 67 70,
283 C Carranza (Arg) 71 74 73 65, R Karlberg (Swe) 73 69 72 69, J Granberg (Fin) 72 72 69 70,
284 A Willey (Eng) 76 70 71 67, I Pyman (Eng) 70 74 72 68, P Whiteford (Sco) 71 71 70 72, C Gane (Eng) 70 70 74 70,
285 N Lemke (Swe) 70 75 68 72, B Evans (Eng) 70 72 72 71, L Gagli (Ita) 74 72 69 70,
286 M Wiegele (Aut) 73 70 73 70, G Murray (Sco) 70 74 69 73, M Ilonen (Fin) 69 73 70 74, S Jamieson (Sco) 72 74 68 72, G Molteni (Ita) 73 71 68 74, M Zions (Aus) 72 69 73 72, E Molinari (Ita) 72 73 72 69, M Higley (Eng) 72 72 69 73, G Boyd (Eng) 70 71 70 75,
287 J Clément (Sui) 69 72 74 72, R Santos (Por) 70 73 74 70, T Dykes (Wal) 70 71 70 76, R Treis (Ger) 74 72 67 74, J Morrison (Eng) 72 70 71 74, J Kaske (am) (Fin) 71 74 70 72,
288 J Grillon (Fra) 74 72 73 69, A Tampion (Aus) 72 72 70 74, M Korhonen (Fin) 73 73 71 71, P Gustafsson (Swe) 74 70 70 74, J Larsen (Nor) 71 72 75 70, R Saxton (Ned) 75 71 71 71,
289 J Arruti (Esp) 71 71 73 74, C Moriarty (Irl) 73 69 75 72, P Erofejeff (Fin) 72 71 74 72, A Perrino (Ita) 73 73 71 72, S Surry (Eng) 69 73 69 78,
290 J Sandelin (Swe) 71 73 70 76, A Marshall (Eng) 72 74 70 74,
291 F Praegant (Aut) 71 69 74 77, T Whitehouse (Eng) 73 73 75 70, R Steiner (Aut) 72 67 75 77, R Russell (Sco) 71 72 73 75,
292 P Bocian (Swe) 75 71 74 72, D Nouailhac (Fra) 72 74 69 77,
293 J McLeary (Sco) 68 71 74 80, D Hewan (RSA) 76 70 71 76, L Saltman (Sco) 73 68 75 77, Z Scotland (Eng) 70 76 72 75,
295 Å Nilsson (Swe) 72 70 73 80,
296 E Ramsay (Sco) 72 73 77 74,
297 B Pettersson (Swe) 77 69 73 78,
298 P Baker (Eng) 72 74 77 75, J Abbate (Arg) 71 74 79 74,
299 M Haastrup (Den) 74 72 82 71,

RANFURLY CASTLE JUNIORS RETAIN

NEWTON SHIELD TROPHY

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY RENFREWSHIRE GOLF UNION
Ranfurly Castle’s young team, the holders of the title, travelled to an immaculate Elderslie course to face Ralston in the final of the Junior Newton Shield.
The team captain, Jamie Binning, set the tone in the lead match with an exciting one-hole victory.
Then Josh Bogle recorded a 2 and 1 win to give Ranfurly Castle a clear lead. The early edge was soon negated as Andrew Cunningham and Greg Paterson lost their matches.
Young Tom Binning had a fine victory and finals debutante Ben Adamson was left out on the course to complete the job. He was up to the task and his victory at the 17th hole meant that the trophy returned to Bridge of Weir.
The squad, with the exception of Jamie Binning, is aged 16 or under and they have set their sights on winning three in a row – a record currently held by Paisley Golf Club.


RENFREWSHIRE’S GOLFERS IN WITH A CHANCE
Last year, Renfrewshire Golf Union’s A Team made it through to the final of the Scottish Area Team Championship and just failed to win the trophy which they last won in 2005. This year, team captain Murdo Carmichael and team manager Derek McGlynn are determined to go all the way and the season started well with a solid win over Argyll & Bute.
Last week’s match was away to a Fife team which included Scott Crichton, runner up in the Scottish Youths and Peter Latimer fresh from a great performance at the Scottish Amateur at Troon. The team selected was:
Matthew Clark, David Miller and Andrew Farmer – Kilmacolm
Ronnie Clark – Erskine
Craig Watson – East Renfrewshire
Gordon Stevenson - Whitecraigs

The day started badly with Matthew and Ronnie Clark beaten 5 and 4 and things got worse when the pairing of David Miller and Gordon Stevenson found themselves three down after only six holes. The brave duo fought back and managed to scrape a halved match.
The final morning match saw Andrew Farmer and Craig Watson face the top pairing of Scott Crichton and Peter Latimer. This was a tight match all the way and it was only when Craig drove the green at the par four sixteenth that Renfrewshire looked to be in control and they won 3 and 1.
It was all to play for in the afternoon singles. Craig Watson faced Michael Main who won convincingly – 4 and 3. Then Matthew Clark again squared the match with a one up win over James White of Lundin Links who is number three in this year’s Order of Merit.
Gordon Stevenson narrowly lost to Peter Latimer and David Miller was unable to cope with an in form Scott Crichton losing 4 and 3. Needing two wins for a valuable away point, attention swung to Andrew Farmer battling it out against Colin Martin, Fife’s Match Play Champion and Ronnie Clark against Scott Michie, Fife’s 2008 Stroke Play Champion and a member of the host club Thornton.
Andrew was always in control and a birdie at the 13th from a nigh impossible position knocked the wind out of the sails of his opponent allowing him to coast to a 3 and 2 victory. Could Ronnie Clark save a valuable away point? Again it was the thirteenth which was the crucial hole with a birdie from Ronnie taking him two up. This was reduced to one at the sixteenth but a birdie at seventeen was enough for a 2 and 1 win.
The final qualifying match is at Erskine Golf Club on 20th September and a win over Clackmannanshire will be enough to see Renfrewshire through to the semi finals to be played at Crail in October.

P

Rollins holds firm to lead by four at Reno

Martin Laird's 67 lifts him up joint

fourth place in Reno-Tahoe Open

Scot Martin Laird had a third-round 67 to share fourth place on 11-under-par 205 after three rounds of the US PGA Tour event, the Reno-Tahoe Open.
Overnight leader John Rollins doubled his lead to four strokes after he shot a five-under 67 to outpace fellow American Ryan Palmer.
Rollins, who fired a course record-equalling 62 on Friday, overcame an up-and-down front nine to record three birdies and an eagle on the 11th to complete the third round at 17-under 199.
"I told my caddie going down the 10th fairway, we just needed to settle down and kind of right the ship and just try to get a good back nine and we'd be in position," said Rollins.
"Sure enough we go out and birdie 10, eagle 11 and then make a great putt on 13 for birdie and then birdied 18 to finish there."
The two-time tour winner had birdies on two of his first four holes but back-to-back bogies on 7 and 8 left him at even par at the turn.
Palmer, who started the day tied for sixth, moved into contention with a 66 for a 203 total at the par-72 Montreux Golf and Country Club in Reno.
American Joe Ogilvie was another stroke back at 204 after he and Glasgow's Martin Laird each fired 66. Laird held fourth at 205.
THIRD ROUND LEADERS
Par 216 (3x72)
players from US unless stated
199 John Rollins 70 62 67.
203 Ryan Palmer 69 68 66
204 Joe Ogilvie 70 68 66,.
205 Martin Laird (Sco) 72 67 66.
206 Rocco Mediate 70 68 68.
207 Chris Riley 72 64 71, Robert Garrigus 69 67 71, Shaun Micheel 69 65 73.

Scintillating Harrington and Woods

set up final-day Firestone showdown

FROM THE SCOTSMAN SPORTS WEBSITE
By Simon Lewis in Akron, Ohio
Padraig Harrington and six-times champion Tiger Woods will contest a mouth-watering last-day duel for the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational today after electrifying displays on the back nine in yesterday's third round.
Overnight leader Harrington reeled off four birdies in six holes from the 12th on the way to a three-under-par 67 at Firestone Country Club, stretching his advantage to three strokes.
Although the Irishman briefly faltered with a bogey at the par-5 16th, where he duffed his fourth shot from a greenside bunker, he drained a 19 footer on the 17th green to finish at 10-under-par 200.
Woods, seeking his fifth US PGA Tour victory of the year on one of his favourite lay-outs, birdied four of the last six holes for a superb 65, matching the best score of the day. The 14-times major winner, whose approach play and putting were in sizzling order, sank a seven-foot birdie putt at the last to secure second place at seven under.
South African Tim Clark, playing with Harrington in the final pairing, carded a 71 to lie five strokes off the lead in third with American Jerry Kelly, who posted a 69.
Open champion Stewart Cink, Masters winner Angel Cabrera and England's Oliver Wilson are among a group of ten players bunched at four under.
Woods, however, cast an ominous shadow over the rest of the elite field of 79, Harrington included. He has won the Bridgestone Invitational six times in just nine starts and said his game had improved since he clinched his 69th PGA Tour victory at the Buick Open last Sunday.
"I've made some improvements and I'm more confident in what I'm doing," said Woods after piling up six birdies and a sole bogey in wet conditions.
"This week I hit the ball pretty good, especially today on the back nine. I drove the ball pretty good all day and hit some really good iron shots in there today. I've always felt comfortable here, there's no doubt," he added of the tree-lined layout.
"Certain courses, no matter how I'm playing going in, I always feel very comfortable once I get there."
Harrington may not win a major this year, but he would willingly settle for a first World Golf Championships title.The three-time major winner will defend his USPGA Championship title at Hazeltine National next week after a season of toil while he modified his swing.
A return to form in Ohio, though, has left the Irishman with a three-stroke lead at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
Harrington added a 69 on Friday to his opening 64 to lead the tournament by one stroke from Tim Clark at the halfway stage, and yesterday's 67 edged him closer to a first WGC title at an event in which he has previously failed to land a top-ten finish.
"I would like to win a World Golf event, yes," Harrington said. "I think I would like to have that on my CV. If it comes to comparing World Golf events to majors... I'd rather win another major than any World Golf event. But a World Golf event in itself is a big event. You've got all the best players playing. So yes, I think it would be very important to win one or some of them throughout my career."
A big finish at Firestone today followed by a good week at Hazeltine would also catapult Harrington into the top 125 in the FedEx Cup standings, allowing him to play in the end-of-season FedEx Cup play-offs, which start later this month with the Barclays tournament at Liberty National.
Harrington was 142nd in the standings heading into this tournament but refused to accept he should be embarrassed by the possibility of missing out. "There's no place for embarrassment on the golf course," he said. "I would never, ever, no matter what. I know I'm trying 100 per cent, so whatever my results are I can hold my head high and would never let that feeling."
*The full article contains 689 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
THIRD ROUND TOTALS
Firestone Country Club, South Course, Akron, Ohio.
Par 210 (3x70)
200 Padraig Harrington (Irl) 64 69 67
203 Tiger Woods 68 70 65
205 Jerry Kelly 71 65 69, Tim Clark (Rsa) 66 68 71
206 Zach Johnson 67 70 69, Oliver Wilson (Eng) 69 69 68, Lucas Glover 69 69 68, Woody Austin 69 68 69, Stewart Cink 69 69 68, Angel Cabrera (Arg) 70 68 68, Kenny Perry 69 71 66, Robert Allenby (Aus) 68 69 69, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Rsa) 68 72 66, Mike Weir (Can) 71 66 69
207 Steve Stricker 67 69 71, Hunter Mahan 68 69 70, J.B. Holmes 70 72 65, David Toms 69 69 69, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 69 71 67
208 Chad Campbell 71 68 69, Pat Perez 70 72 66, Prayad Marksaeng (Tha) 66 70 72, Ian Poulter (Eng) 67 74 67, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 70 70 68
209 Retief Goosen (Rsa) 71 67 71, Alvaro Quiros (Rsa) 72 65 72
210 Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 71 71 68, Vijay Singh (Fij) 70 73 67, Soren Hansen (Den) 69 71 70, Sergio Garcia (Rsa) 68 72 70, Scott Verplank 66 69 75, Nick O'Hern (Aus) 72 67 71, Lee Westwood (Eng) 69 71 70
211 Nick Watney 74 68 69, Ross Fisher (Eng) 70 71 70, Davis Love III 72 66 73, Nick Dougherty (Eng) 69 71 71, Darren Clarke (NIrl) 71 70 70, Charles Howell III 71 72 68, Dustin Johnson 70 71 70, Anthony Kim 72 68 71, Justin Leonard 70 71 70, Luke Donald (Eng) 70 72 69, Stuart Appleby (Aus) 74 68 69, Henrik Stenson (Swe) 69 72 70
212 Justin Rose (Eng) 75 68 69, Mathew Goggin (Aus) 73 71 68, Camilo Villegas (Col) 70 70 72
213 Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 70 71 72, Anthony Kang 71 76 66, Ernie Els (Rsa) 71 72 70, Y.E. Yang (Kor) 72 72 69
214 Phil Mickelson 70 69 75, Trevor Immelman (Rsa) 70 70 74, Anders Hansen (Den) 73 71 70, Cameron Beckman 71 71 72, Boo Weekley 69 69 76, Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (Rsa) 70 71 73
215 Graeme McDowell (NIrl) 73 71 71, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 71 74 70
216 Danny Lee (Nzl) 68 73 75, Christian Cevaer (Fra) 75 70 71, Rory McIlroy (NIrl) 75 70 71, Adam Scott (Aus) 78 67 71, Richard Sterne (Rsa) 72 73 71
217 Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 72 70 75, Sean O'Hair 69 72 76, Jim Furyk 73 71 73
218 Ben Curtis 77 69 72, Martin Kaymer (Ger) 72 74 72
219 Nathan Green (Aus) 74 71 74, K J Choi (Kor) 74 72 73, Shingo Katayama (Jpn) 74 72 73
220 Gregory Havret (Fra) 73 77 70
222 Marc Turnesa 76 75 71
224 Chih-bing Lam (Sin) 74 75 75
225 Brian Gay 75 74 76
228 Shane Lowry (Irl) 78 78 72
230 Yuji Igarashi (Jpn) 74 83 73