Bland leads Aussie Masters by three strokes

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
Unheralded left-hander Adam Bland will carry a three-shot lead into the final round of the 2010 JBWere Australian Masters after completing a one-under 70 in extreme conditions today at Victoria Golf Club in Melbourne.
At 11 under, the 31-year-old South Australian holds a double figure break on titleholder and pre-tournament favourite Tiger Woods who was unable to make any headway during the third round.
Bland's nearest rival Daniel Gaunt, one of a host of players in the field for whom Victoria is their 'home' club, got around in 68.
At seven under, Gaunt leads Andre Stolz (72) by two shots and Jarrod Lyle (69) - the only player in the field apart from Bland to go sub-par on all three days - by three.
The field was forced to endure testing conditions with rain falling heavily and without respite from early afternoon on Saturday.
More than 35mm of rain was dumped on the par-71 6297 metre layout overnight.
Bland, who started the day with a two-stroke buffer over Stolz, was briefly joined in the lead by his playing partner after two-shot swing at the eighth.
Bland managed to reclaim the lead outright at the next, however, with a birdie to Stolz's par and kept his nose in front thereafter.
"It's always good to be in then lead and hopefully we can say it again tomorrow," said Bland.
"It was tough today, it was just raining all day, windy and pretty miserable, but I just tried to stay happy and enjoy the day and I did enjoy it."
"It's the same plan again tomorrow."
"I am very proud of the way I've gone this week with scrambling up and down."
"With the conditions today and yesterday, it's all about scrambling."
"No-one is going to hit 15 or 16 greens and get them to ten feet all day, you have to scramble and I've scrambled the best so far this week."
Gaunt enjoyed a charmed run on the greens over the opening few holes.
He made the save of the day by holing a putt from off the green at the second before sinking another huge par-saver at the fifth.
The 31 year-old was able to capitalise in the run home with four birdies in his closing six holes.
Gaunt's playing partner Sergio Garcia is out of the running at two over after a disastrous 77, though fellow international Camillo Villegas fared better with a 70 that leaves him at two under.
Woods completed his front nine in 36, one over the card, and picked up just the one stroke coming back to finish square for the day.
Not for the first time this week he grumbled about his inability to come to terms with the pace of the greens and agreed that everything needs to go right on Sunday if he's to successfully defend the title he won at Kingston Heath last year.
"I'm so far back I've got to play a great round and then I need help," said Woods.
"The only thing I can control is hopefully going out there and putting a low one on the board."
"If I just make a few putts early tomorrow then hopefully I can get it going."
Woods was outplayed on the day by his playing partner, a 22-year-old contesting his first event as a professional.
Stuart Appleby (69) is in a tie for fifth with Ryan Haller, one shot clear of David McKenzie (68), Geoff Ogilvy (69), Pratt, Villegas, British amateur champion Lee Won Joon (71) and Anthony Brown (72).
Robert Allenby, who came into this tournament as the leading Australian hopeful and the second-favourite with the bookmakers churned out nine straight pars before slipping to plus five overall with a double bogey six at the 372-metre par-four 10th.
But he managed to pick up strokes at 11, 14, 15, 17 and the last to get back to square with the card.

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Scott leads by one from Poulter, Kang with round to go

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Adam Scott holds a slender one-shot lead over defending champion Ian Poulter and Korea's Kang Kyung-nam at the Barclays Singapore Open after a dramatic third round at Sentosa Golf Club.
The Australian, pictured after a previous triumph, had started the day with a two-shot lead but was dragged into an epic tussle with playing partner Poulter down the back nine of the Serapong Course, the 2005 and 2006 winner eventually emerging with the narrowest of leads.
The 30 year old signed for a round of 69 to sit 14 under par, while Poulter carded two birdies and an eagle in a round of 68.
"It wasn't easy out there today," said Scott. "It was hot and it was a long round and I wasn't feeling on top of a lot of aspects of my game at times but I am just happy to have got back to the clubhouse with 69 which is always a good score - it's respectable."
Poulter was pleased to have reduced the deficit after a round which took over five hours to complete.
"I played nicely," said Poulter, who held off China's Liang Wen-chong in the final round 12 months ago.
"I think I missed one green and that was about five feet out so I actually hit about 18 greens in regulation. But Adam played well as well so I think tomorrow is going to be a great day."
World No. 567 Kang is also right in the frame having seemingly been out of the running when he ran up a double bogey seven at the seventh - only to respond with a brilliant back nine 30 which included five unanswered birdies.
Both Scott and Poulter opened their accounts with birdies at the par three second, the Englishman hitting his tee shot to within six feet.
But Scott bogeyed the next and despite a birdie at the par five fourth found himself with company at the top of the leaderboard when Poulter eagled the same hole.
Six-time European Tour winner Scott went back in front with a birdie at the seventh after hitting his approach to four feet, but there was a decisive swing at the tenth as Poulter went ahead for the first time.
The Ryder Cup star sank a 20ft birdie putt, while Scott missed his par effort from five feet.
Poulter, as so often is the case, produced a masterclass in clutch putts, but there was nothing he could do to rescue par when he mis-cued his tee shot at the par three 14th.
And Scott regained the outright lead when he drained a 12 footer at the 16th for birdie.
The former World No. 3 could have held an even bigger advantage - at the par five last Poulter caught a flyer with his approach and was left with a near-impossible downhill birdie putt from the back of the green, while Scott's magnificent approach stopped five feet from the pin.
But the Australian misread the line, and Poulter once again bravely holed from a similar distance to save par and tee up an enthralling final day.
"At the 18th, I just over-read the putt a little bit but the course played hard on the back nine and it was hard to get it close, so I was happy to shoot par on the back nine," said Scott.
"I'd love to go out tomorrow and play really solid and whatever happens, happens. If I play solid I think I can get it done but if it's not enough then I will have to come back and try again next year."
Poulter added: "Hopefully I can go out there and play just as well and roll a few more putts in and who knows - I might just get my hands on the trophy again.
"We are mates off the golf course, I have known Adam for about 12 years. You get 40 or 50 seconds to stand over your shot, concentrate, and pull the trigger. Obviously you have time to relax between shots and Adam is a great and nice guy to talk to."
It is far from a two-horse race, however, with Kang's masterful approach to within three feet on the 18th highlighting the 27 year old's talent in a 67 that included eight birdies.
And US Open Championship winner Graeme McDowell is only two off the pace after a round of 68 that included a 50ft birdie putt on the 14th.
The Northern Irishman also has the added incentive of trying to catch Race to Dubai leader Martin Kaymer, with the German tied for 14th on seven under.
"It's important that I focus on my own game as there's nothing I can do about Kaymer," said McDowell. "It's not rugby and I can't go out there and tackle him - all I can do is to concentrate on my own ball.
"I've got a big day tomorrow and it's a big day for The Race to Dubai. I've got to stay focused and play my game."
Dane Anders Hansen produced a best-of-the-day 65 to hold fifth on 11 under, one shot ahead of Wales' Jamie Donaldson.
THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
Par 213 (3x71)
199 Adam Scott (Aus) 65 65 69
200 Ian Poulter 69 63 68, Kyung-nam Kang (Kor) 66 67 67
201 Graeme McDowell 65 68 68
202 Anders Hansen (Den) 71 66 65
203 Jamie Donaldson 66 69 68
204 Prayad Marksaeng (Tha) 69 65 70, Rikard Karlberg (Swe) 64 70 70
205 Francesco Molinari (Ita) 69 69 67, Joost Luiten (Ned) 68 64 73, Wen-chong Liang (Chn) 69 65 71, Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa) 67 69 69, Y.E. Yang (Kor) 66 73 66206 Rahil Gangjee (Ind) 70 67 69, Darren Beck (Aus) 70 67 69, Keith Horne (Rsa) 65 72 69, Martin Kaymer (Ger) 68 68 70, Peter Lawrie 67 71 68, Johan Edfors (Swe) 66 71 69
207 Chris Wood 63 73 71, David Drysdale 68 70 69, Hiroshi Iwata (Jpn) 66 70 71, Mardan Mamat (Sin) 68 70 69, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 67 70 70
208 Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 70 64 74, Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 69 69 70, Colin Montgomerie 70 68 70, Nick Dougherty 65 72 71, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 66 70 72, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 66 71 71, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 70 65 73, John Huh (Kor) 70 65 73, Shigeki Maruyama (Jpn) 64 74 70, Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe) 68 65 75
209 Scott Hend (Aus) 64 73 72, Thomas Aiken (Rsa) 69 70 70, Christian Nilsson (Swe) 73 65 71, Bi-o Kim (Kor) 63 72 74, Markus Brier (Aut) 65 71 73, Mars Pucay (Phi) 72 65 72
210 Yih-Shin Chan (Tpe) 68 68 74, Mikael Lundberg (Swe) 71 68 71, Daniel Vancsik (Arg) 72 66 72, Jason Knutzon (USA) 69 68 73, Hyung-sung Kim (Kor) 72 67 71
211 John Parry 71 65 75, Shiv Kapur (Ind) 71 68 72, Jay Bayron (Phi) 72 67 72, Scott Strange (Aus) 65 72 74, Hideto Tanihara (Jpn) 68 71 72, Phil Mickelson (USA) 67 69 75, Tony Carolan (Aus) 66 70 75, Alexander Noren (Swe) 72 67 72, Antonio Lascuna (Phi) 70 68 73
212 Steve Webster 72 65 75, Pablo Larrazabal (Spa) 68 70 74, Anthony Kang (USA) 66 73 73, Marcus Both (Aus) 70 69 73, Tetsuji Hiratsuka (Jpn) 74 65 73, Gaganjeet Bhullar (Ind) 70 68 74, Digvijay Singh (Ind) 69 69 74, Michael Hoey 69 67 76
213 Wen-Tang Lin (Tpe) 70 68 75
214 A Siddikur (Ban) 67 71 76, Stephen Dodd 73 66 75, Shane Lowry 73 66 75, Matteo Manassero (Ita) 67 71 76
215 Peter Hedblom (Swe) 72 67 76
216 Gareth Maybin 65 72 79
217 Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 71 68 78, Scott Barr (Aus) 64 75 78
218 Tano Goya (Arg) 70 69 79

Goal has changed for Cinderella

leader  Thatcher

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — All Roland Thatcher wanted to do this week was prepare for qualifying school. He even joked with his amateur partners that he was treating the US PGA Tour finale as a practice round.
"Obviously," Thatcher said, "the goal has changed."
Thatcher eased through the toughest of the two courses in the second round of the Children's Miracle Network Classic on Friday, shooting a 9-under 63 to take a four-shot lead over Chris Stroud and Brian Gay.
Thatcher began the week 179th on the money list, and needs to finish alone in second place to vault into the top 125 - the cut-off for full status next year. Nos. 126-150 will get conditional status.
"Pun intended, I wouldn't mind being referred to as Cinderella for the week," he said.
Players swap between the Magnolia and Palm courses in the first two rounds. Only the Magnolia Course, about 500 yards longer with more undulating greens, is used on the weekend.
Thatcher got a head start.
He hit 15 of 18 greens and had only 23 putts on the Magnolia. About the only hiccup in his round - and it wasn't much of one - came when he missed a 17-foot putt for eagle on the 10th hole.
"There really wasn't many opportunities for me to make much lower than what I did as far as the round went," Thatcher said. "It was as low as it could go."
Thatcher wasn't the only one on the leaderboard fighting for a tour card.
Stroud was the first-round leader, three shots ahead of Thatcher, but with far less pressure. At 119th on money list, Stroud merely needed to avoid missing the cut to maintain full status. He followed up his good start with a wild second-round 70 complete with seven birdies and five bogeys.
Gay (65) is 59th on the money list.
Three others who began barely inside the top 125 - Joe Durant (120), Woody Austin (123) and Michael Allen (124) - missed the cut. Durant should be safe, but Austin and Allen are in danger of falling out.
Not only can Stroud rest easy, he can challenge for a victory.
"I'm safe now," Stroud said. "To be honest, in my position, I was still quite a bit nervous coming into this week. I told my wife, I said, 'I'm still playing like I'm 135 on the money list.'"
There also was a scintillating subplot surfacing.
The $1 million Kodak Challenge is all even after Rickie Fowler birdied No. 17 on the Magnolia course to pull into a tie with Troy Merritt and Aaron Baddeley. The contest designates a hole at 30 tournaments and keeps score throughout the year.
"I think we'll have a lot of fun on the weekend with it," said Fowler, tied for 11th at 8 under after a 70.
For everyone else, they're merely trying to catch a player who has everything at stake.
One of the longest of long shots at the season finale, Thatcher already signed up for the second stage of qualifying school near Houston next week. All Disney was supposed to provide was some momentum.
Now it might be a tour card.
Thatcher, whose only top-10 finish this year came in New Orleans, has never had a 36-hole lead on tour and his best ever was a 61 at Mayakoba in 2008. But he still has a ways to go to complete the dream weekend.
Even if he tied for second, he'd be about $40,000 short of earning full status.
"I don't think it was unreasonable for me to walk into the week and say I just want to catch something better for next week," Thatcher said. "I think that was a realistic goal, getting four rounds in and getting some things working in the right direction to where when I tee it up next week at second stage, I was going to be as prepared as I was going to be.
"My goals have changed quite a bit," he continued. "I'm hoping to have a nice long off season and start the year early next year."

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2011 Scottish Open set for Castle Stuart

FROM THE SPORT.SCOTSMAN.COM WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
The Barclays Scottish Open looks set to be held at Castle Stuart, near Inverness, next year before moving to The Renaissance Club in East Lothian in 2012.
A decision regarding the event's future is believed to be imminent and it appears these two new courses are both going to get their chance.
Speaking in Singapore yesterday, Europe's winning-Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie said: "Castle Stuart for one year and then the Renaissance Club is a good decision.
"But then with any national Open, it should probably move around the country. I've heard Castle Stuart is a great golf course, and it's in a great links area of Scotand.
"It's a long way north for everybody especially as the next week is the Open Championship at Royal St. Georges. but it will be two links golf courses back-to-back and that's what the players have wanted, so we look forward to it."
As reported in The Scotsman earlier this week, both courses were visited by European Tour officials recently after it was decided that alternate venues should be looked at.
Loch Lomond, which has staged the Scottish Open since 1996, is still under contract for next year's event, but it now appears it will be heading for the Highlands instead.
It is believed that thousands of hotel beds have been provisionally booked in the Inverness area and confirmation could come as early as Monday.
It still remains to be seen what will happen in 2013, when The Open is at Muirfield.