DAMIEN MCGRANE THIRD ROUND LEADER BY ONE FROM MATTEO

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Damien McGrane leads after three day of the Trophée Hassan II, but Matteo Manassero is just one shot behind as the Italian seeks a second Masters Tournament appearance before his 19th birthday.
The 40 year old Irishman, whose only European Tour title came by nine shots in China four years ago, started the day three behind clubhouse leader Phillip Price but with 13 holes of his second round remaining after lengthy wind delays on Friday.
On his return to the Golf du Palais Royal course in Agadir McGrane birdied the seventh, ninth and tenth to pull level with former Ryder Cup hero Price, before two-putting the long 15th for birdie to take the outright lead.
He holed an important six footer at the last to confirm his halfway advantage, then mixed four birdies with three bogeys over the first ten holes of his third round to reach 12 under par.
That was one ahead of not only teenager Manassero, but also Spain’s José Manuel Lara, with Northern Irishman Michael Hoey a shot further back in fourth after a brilliant 65 – that despite missing a six foot par putt and bogeying the last.
“It was a nice way to finish the day with a birdie but I have to be honest and say that it was a bit of a mixed bag out there today,” said McGrane.
“Plenty of birdies and bogeys so not quite as good as the first two rounds. I have actually missed a few fairways out there in the third round and that is probably the easiest thing to do on this course.
“But I can’t complain too much – I am in the position you want to be going into the final day and hopefully I can get the job done. We’ll come back tomorrow and we will have a winner so hopefully that can be me.”
Manassero, needing a win to climb into the Official World Golf Ranking's top 50 and earn a place at the Masters Tournament in a fortnight’s time, was a brilliant six under through 14 holes.
The 18 year old, who impressed with a 36th-placed finish at Augusta National as a 16 year old, two-putted the long tenth for birdie, gained another shot with an approach to ten feet at the next then completed his hattrick with a two at the 199 yard 12th after an outward 33.
“It was a very good round for me,” said the Maybank Malaysian Open champion.
“I went out there trying to make no mistakes and not to leave any shots out there and it worked out to be a great 15 holes. I made a lot of birdies and a lot of good putts and I knew that I needed to do that. I knew that I needed to get to double figures at least by the end of the day to get into contention and that is the way it went.
“The dream is still alive and I have to try my best to make it happen. I am certainly going to try and win the event first and foremost to win the event and then if The Masters happens it would be amazing.
“I have to say that the extra prize of the Masters really helps me as well. It gives me extra motivation and I seem to play better in that kind of situation. I had a few months recently where I couldn’t get into contention but after last week and now this week it feels great to be playing well and having chances to win.”
The 34 year old Lara had carded a 65 to race into contention on Friday, and mixed three birdies with a single bogey over the first ten holes of his third round.
“It was a difficult day and it was tough conditions for the first few holes today but all in all I am still in a great position,” said the two-time European Tour winner.
“I just hit a bad drive in the 11th but overall I am happy to be 11 under and at the top of the leaderboard.
“I am playing well so I am trying to do the same things as I have been all week and hoping that it will be good enough tomorrow. Thankfully one thing is certain tomorrow - we won’t finish in the dark!”
Former Ryder Cup star Phillip Price, the overnight leader, had a disappointing start to his third round and missed putts from inside five feet on the fifth and sixth to turn in 39.
But a huge eagle putt at the tenth got the Welshman back to nine under, just three behind and with eight holes remaining.


MISSED THE CUT
145 Marc Warren 72 73
146 Stephen Gallacher 72 74
154 Peter Whiteford 79 75

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CONFIDENT CULLEN SEIZES LEAD IN JAKARTA INDONESIA OPEN

JAKARTA, March 24 – Australian left-hander Nick Cullen peppered the pins and pulled ahead after the third round of the Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia Open at Emeralda Golf Club on Saturday.

The unheralded golfer from Adelaide fired an impressive five-under-par 67 to lead on 11 under.

Cullen opened a four stroke lead over compatriot Stephen Leaney, in the season-opening event, which is jointly sanctioned by OneAsia and the Japan Golf Tour Organisation.

Multiple-tour winner Leaney, bidding for a comeback in the game after illness, also shot a 67, while American David Oh carded a 71 and is a stroke further behind.

David Smail from New Zealand, the leader after the first and second rounds, slipped back with 74 and is five under. Two double bogeys on his card proved costly.

Cullen, the 27-year-old who turned professional in 2009, made six birdies and dropped just one shot, playing with a confidence and demeanor that suggests he is a seasoned competitor at this level.

But the Australian said there was no secret to his fine form.

“I am not even thinking about it I am just playing golf,” he said.

“I have been practicing hard and I have put in a lot of hours the last few weeks. As long as I put in the work before I come away for a tournament, I know I am ready.”

Earlier this year Cullen qualified for the Open Championship after making it through international qualifying on home soil and that form seems to be continuing as the year progresses.

“I hit it pretty solid but not as solid as yesterday, but I only missed a couple of fairways," said Cullen.

Cullen said he was giving himself chances to hole putts, but could do better.

"I think I am giving myself too many downhill putts. It is hard to hole downhill putts as you cannot be aggressive."

 The relative newcomer to the game is being chased by one of his country’s most successful golfers.

Leaney has won seven times on the PGA Tour of Australasia and has been victorious on four occasions on the European Tour. In 2003 he hit the headlines after finishing second in the U.S. Open.

Unfortunately in 2008 he was diagnosed with vertigo and he has struggled to recapture his best form since then.

The 43-year-old had three bogeys, but eight birdies -- including two over the last four holes -- giving him a great chance for an emotional comeback victory.

Oh was delighted to find himself in the top three having aimed just to make the cut ahead of the tournament.

“I’m a little bit nervous as I haven’t been in this position for a long time,” said the California native, making his first start of a season in which he aims to play as much golf as possible on OneAsia and the Japan tour.

Asked what his strategy would be for the final round, Oh said: “I just want to be as steady as I can. Obviously Nick has a good lead and I wouldn’t wish a bad round on anyone, but anything can happen on this course.”

Smail, a five-time winner on the Japan tour, started the day with a one stroke lead from Cullen.

However, he got off to the worst possible start with a double bogey seven on the par five first. He steadied the ship with THIdies later on, but then suffered another double on the par-three 16^th.

Indonesia’s top golfer Rory Hie continues to lead the local challenge after carding a 72 to lie one under for the tournament.

Hie, who finished second in this event last year, was in position to finish the day closer to the leader but disappointingly double bogeyed the final hole.

Defending champion Thaworn Wiratchant from Thailand is on the same score after returning a 69.

 THIRD-ROUND LEADERBOARD

Par 216 (3x72)

205 - Nick Cullen (AUS) 72 66 67

209 - Stephen Leaney (AUS) 72 70 67

210 - David Oh (US) 72 67 71

211 - Ashley Hall (AUS) 70 74 67, David Smail (NZ) 68 69 74

212 - Park Eun-shin (KOR) 74 69 69, Mamo Osanai (JPN) 71 72 69, Hu Mu (CHN) 73 68 71

213 - Anthony Summers (AUS) 75 71 67, Hiroyuki Fujita (JPN) 70 71 72, Yoshikazu Haku (JPN) 70 69 74

214 - Ryu Hyun-woo (KOR) 75 71 68, Terry Pilkadaris (AUS) 73 71 70, Jay Choi (US) 71 72 71, Kazuhiro Yamashita (JPN) 70 73 71, Daniel Fox (AUS) 73 70 71, Liang Wenchong (CHN) 69 73 72, Kim Meen-whee (KOR) 70 70 74

SELECTED SCORES

215 – Thaworn Wiratchant (THA) 75 71 69, Scott Strange (AUS) 73 73 69, Prom Meesawat (THA) 74 71 70, Rory Hie (INA) 73 70 72

GRAEME ROBERTSON LYING JOINT 7TH IN SOUTH AMERICA

Stirling University student Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie GC) is in joint seventh position after three rounds of the South American men's amateur championship, supported by the R and A, at Cali, Colombia.
Graeme has had steady rounds of 70-75-71 for a level par tally of 216 - eight shots behind the leader, Jorge Fernandez (Argentina)

THIRD ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 210 (3x70)
208 Jorge Fernandez (Argentina) 71 65 72.
211 Agustin Tarigo (Uruguay) 69 72 70.
213 Franco Romero (Argentina) 73 66 74.
215 Alejandro Tosti (Argentina) 73 70 73, Gustavo Leon (Venezuela) 68 71 76, Ernesto Rodriguez (Colombia) 69 72 74.
216 Luis Thiele (Brazil) 69 76 71, Graeme Robertson (Scotland) 70 75 71, Andre Tourinho (Brazil) 71 72 73.
SELECTED SCORES
224 Benjamin Loughrey (England) 76 70 78 (T23).
226 Joshua White (England) (T30)
228 James Bunch (Scotland) 77 78 73 (T37)

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BENEDETTI LEADS US NATIONWIDE TOUR EVENT AT HALFWAY

FROM THE US NATIONWIDE TOUR WEBSITE
By Joe Chemycz, Nationwide Tour staff
BROUSSARD, Louisiana -- Camilo Benedetti just wants to be more consistent. The 32-year-old from Colombia says he wants to focus on the process in 2012 instead of the results. So far, so good for Benedetti who carded an 8-under 63 in the second round of the Chitimacha Louisiana Open to grab the 36-hole lead.
Benedetti's focus has turned into results at the Le Triomphe Country Club where he has posted a career-best 13-under 129 total and holds the lead for the first time in his Nationwide Tour career. The former Florida Gator rolled in a 12-foot birdie putt at the final hole Friday afternoon to wrestle the halfway lead away from South Africa's Brenden Pappas, who shot his own 63 on Thursday and backed it up with a 67 in round two.
Six players -- Rob Oppenheim, Casey Wittenberg, Doug Barron, Paul Claxton, Joe Durant and Adam Hadwin -- are knotted at 10-under 132 and tied for third.
Patrick Sheehan and first-day co-leader Will MacKenzie are four back and round out the top 10.
"My only goal is to stay consistent," said Benedetti, who has improved his standing on the money list each of the past five seasons. "If I can play consistent the whole time, I can finish top 10 or top 20. It's really nice to see how things are progressing."
Things went nicely for Benedetti who never went more than three holes on Friday without adding another birdie to his total.
"I was just cruising along," he said after his 24-putt effort. "It's not that it was easy but I guess it looked easier because everything was going my way, hitting good shots and making good putts."
A lot of good putts, including one he didn't make at the par-3 11th hole.
"I hit it to about eight feet and hit a great putt but it didn't break," he said. "In my mind I made birdie there, too."
Well, had he actually rolled it in, he would have been a perfect 5-for-5 on the par-3s.
"I gave myself a lot of chances and I made some and missed a couple," he said. "I kept being aggressive when I needed to and kept being conservative when I wanted to."
The net result is a one-stroke lead heading into the weekend. This is Benedetti's 111th career start on Tour and his best finish was a T3 at the 2010 Albertsons Boise Open. A year ago he made 18 cuts in 23 starts and had eight top-25 finishes but only a pair of top10s and wound up No. 35 on the final money list.
"I gave myself a lot of chances last year, especially towards the end of the year and I didn't quite capitalize on those on the weekends," he said. "That's one of my goals this year. My approach has been more focus-related. The results will come."
Pappas has seen some pretty good results despite not hitting the ball very well for two days. The former Arkansas Razorback is T72 in fairways hit and T77 in greens in regulation but has rolled in a ton of putts, including five of better than 35 feet in Thursday's opener.
"You try not to think about yesterday because it's an isolated incident," he said. "It's history."
Second-Round Notes
• Friday's weather: Sunny. Winds NW 5-10 mph. High of 80.
• Lift, clean and place conditions were in effect for the first round and second round.
• Phil Schmitt withdrew prior to the start of the second round.
• Carl Paulson withdrew during the round due to a wrist injury.
• Santiago's Benjamin Alvarado, a top-25 qualifier from the Chile Classic two weeks ago (T8), withdrew during the second round due to sickness.
• This is the first time in Benedetti's Nationwide Tour that he has held/shared the lead after any single round.
• Benedetti leads the field with 16 birdies. He also leads the field in putts per round with 25.5.
• The 36-hole cut came at 4-under-par 138, the lowest cut in the past nine years of this event
Russell Knox is lying T27 on 136 - seven shots off the pace - after scores of 68-68. It is one of the few cuts he has made this season. Pity he had to drop to the Nationwide Tour to do it.

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