AMAZING GRACE LEADS BY THREE SHOTS IN CHINA

TIANJIN,  April 21 - South African Branden Grace underlined his credentials as a star of the future with an eight-under par 64 today for a total of 18 under and a three-shot lead going into the final round of the Volvo China Open at Binhai Lake Golf course in Tianjin.

Defending champion Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium also put in another good day at the office, with a birdie on the last giving him a 66 and sole second place, a shot ahead of Paraguay's Fabrizio Zanotti, alone in third.

Benign afternoon conditions after a cold, wet start to the day saw a slew of low scores, with Swede Alexander Noren shooting a 63 for a new course record. He shared fourth place with South African George Coetzee, Ignacio Garrido of Spain, Australian Marcus Fraser and Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Gonnet.

The U.S.$ 3 million event, co-sanctioned by OneAsia and the European Tour, was expected to play tough on the new Binhai Lake Golf Club course, which at 7,667 yard is one of the longest on either tour. But almost ideal afternoon conditions meant low scores were the order of the day.

Grace, 24, earned his European tour card  at Q school last year but has already made an impact by winning twice this season -- the Joburg Open and the Volvo Champions of Golf tournament in his native South Africa.

“It is hard to believe that I am going for my third title of the season," he said. "I don’t think many people expected me to do that and I probably didn’t myself."

"I knew that one win was round the corner but to win two back-to-back was amazing. Now I am looking good for the third at the moment but I have to try and not think about that too much tomorrow and go out there and play the way I have been all week." 

Colsaerts, meanwhile, was delighted with his effort. His sole tournament victory was in this event last year, but the crowds have taken to him, and he has taken to China.

"Coming to the course today we knew it was going to be calmer and scores would be lower -- although not that low," he said. "There is a nine and a bunch of eight unders. It has just proven it is makeable."

He was full of praise for playing partner Grace's round, but also would like a bit of weather to even the field.

"It would be nice for someone like me if it could blow a bit tomorrow so that I can make a move."

For Zanotti, Saturday's round was just reward for lot of effort he has been putting in.

"Things did not start very good in the beginning of the year, but you keep patient and keep trying," he said.  "I have been working very hard so that is why I can see the results now. Hopefully tomorrow I can have a good day and be a little more happy."

Noren's course record 63 included 10 birdies and a bogey, going out in 33 and back in 30.

"I holed a lot of really good putts on the back nine and you have do that to shoot 63," he said. "Some of them were short, but there were a couple of really long ones so I am very happy with the score.”

He attributed his new found form to a change in the way he approached practice.

“I have changed a bit in my practice routines and I am now trying to concentrate on hitting fewer shots but concentrating a lot more and trying to produce real quality all the time," he said. “You look at the guys who are the best in the world and they seem to do that. I haven’t done that in the past but I am feeling the benefits of it now."

Coetzee, meanwhile, was also delighted with his form after a layoff.

“I did absolutely nothing for two weeks – I just sat on the couch at home and then when I got frustrated at that I went to the holiday home and did a bit of fishing and relaxing for a week. Then I got back practising for three weeks and now I am back playing tournament golf and trying to get into the swing of things."

Ian Poulter, at 25 is the top ranked player in the field, shot a 70 for a total of 212, some 14 shots off the pace.

THIRD-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 216 (3x72)
198 Branden Grace (S Africa) 67 67 64
201 Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium) 68 67 66
202 Fabrizio Zanotti (Italy) 70 68 64
203 George Coetzee (S Africa) 72 67 64, Alex Norten (Sweden) 68 72 73. Ignacio Garrido (Spain) 67 69 67. Marcus Fraser (Australia) 67 69 67, Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (France) 66 67 70
204 Fredrik Andersson Hed (Sweden) 66 74 64, Francesco Molinari (Italy) 72 65 67, Gary Boyd (England) 66 67 71.

SCOTS' THIRD-ROUND TOTALS

Par 216 (3x72)
207 Paul Lawrie 72 67 68 (T21)
210 David Drsydale 70 72 68, Scott Jamieson 74 67 69, Peter Whiteford 70 68 72 (T37)
212 Colin Montgomerie 68 72 72 (T46)
214 Richie Ramsay 67 75 72 (T58)


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