OOSTHUIZEN AND DUBUISSION RETIRE INJURED

                        

 

AUSSIE ROOKIE SMITH LEADS BY ONE

 

Jakarta: Australian rookie Cameron Smith will face one of his career’s biggest tests after he posted a five-under-par 67 to take the third-round lead at the US$750,000 CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters on Saturday.

Smith, who has enjoyed a distinguished amateur career, compiled a three-day total of 14-under-par 202 to head into the final round in pole position in what is only his second professional event on the Asian Tour.

India’s Anirban Lahiri displayed the qualities that made him a EurAsia Cup hero when he fired a flawless 64 to trail Smith by one in second place while compatriot Rashid Khan was equally impressive as he also matched Lahiri’s effort with a 64 to take third place.

Reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand meanwhile signed for a 65 to take fourth place on 205 total at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

Smith made a bold decision to move into the play-for-pay ranks after an illustrious amateur career where he won a host of events including the 2013 Australian Amateur, Australian Junior Championship and Australian Stroke Play Championship in 2011.

Having earned his Asian Tour card when he finished tied-18^th at Qualifying School earlier this year, the 20-year-old missed the cut in his first professional event in the Philippines in March.

However it has been a refreshing change of fortune for the Australian as he now finds himself atop the leaderboard for the first time after rounds of 68, 67 and 67 at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters.

“I’m feeling good, pretty ecstatic right now. I am actually leading a professional tournament for the first time!” said Smith, who traded five birdies, an eagle and two bogeys.

“I started off a bit slow. The eagle on the ninth kept the birdies coming. That was the highlight of the day as I holed a pretty long putt. It has been great three rounds so far. I’ll keep to the same game plan tomorrow which is to hit as many fairways and greens as I can and continue to putt well,” added Smith.

Tournament marquee names Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa and France’s Victor Dubuisson were forced to withdraw from the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters because of a back and shoulder injury respectively.

“As much as I would love to, I cannot carry on playing at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters as I’ve hurt my back and I’m unable to swing my club. 

"The hospitality and the atmosphere at the event has been fantastic.  I’m very disappointed and hope to be back again next year. I want to thank everyone concerned about my injury and I hope to recover soon,” said Oosthuizen, the 2010 Open Championship winner.

 

THIRD-ROUND LEADERBOARD

Par 216 (3x72) Yardage: 7,340

202 Cameron SMITH (AUS) 68-67-67.

203 Anirban LAHIRI (IND) 70-69-64.

204 Rashid KHAN (IND) 70-70-64.

205 Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA) 71-69-65.

206 Gunn CHAROENKUL (THA) 70-69-67, S.S.P CHOWRASIA (IND) 71-66-69, LIN Wen-tang (TPE) 70-64-72.

207 Jyoti RANDHAWA (IND) 72-68-67, Marcus BOTH (AUS) 69-70-68, BAEK Seuk-hyun (SKOR) 71-68-68, Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) 68-70-69.

208 Bernd WIESBERGER (AUT) 68-71-69, Chan KIM (USA) 69-69-70, Chapchai NIRAT (THA) 68-68-72.

 

Selected scores

210 Thongchai JAIDEE (THA) 71-72-67, Nicholas FUNG (MAS) 67-69-74

Retired (with injuries): Louis Oosthuizen (S Africa), Victor Dubuisson (France)