Aussie Dodt still two ahead in Queensland  EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS Andrew Dodt maintained his two-shot lead heading into Sunday's final  round of the Australian PGA Championship after a day of dramatic twists and turns at RACV Royal Pines Resort on Queensland's Gold Coast. The Australian entered the third round with a two-shot advantage after beginning the tournament 65-67 and while he extended that to three in the early stages, he would not have it all his own way. Ashley Hall and Harold Varner III both recorded a pair of eagles as they attempted to chase him down, with Hall drawing himself level twice on the back nine. Dodt was not to be passed, however, and five birdies and three bogeys in a round of 70 got him to 14 under, two shots clear of Hall and Varner. Adam Scott and John Senden were then at ten under as the top five broke away from the chasing pack. Dodt made just seven of 20 cuts in a frustrating 2016 season but a win on Sunday would hand him a third European Tour title and make him the first wire-to-wire winner since Alexander Levy at the Porsche European Open. Key quotes Andrew Dodt: “It was really solid again, I’m really happy with how I’m swinging it, and I’m happy with my mental processes. I feel really comfortable out there, even in the wind and especially on the greens. I drove really well again today, so hopefully that can continue tomorrow. “My two wins on the European Tour have been from behind, so this position is new to me, but I’m enjoying it. I’m really trying to embrace it and enjoy my time out there on the course.  “The first three rounds are irrelevant now. There are a lot of world-class players behind me, so I’ve got to keep the foot down tomorrow and keep playing the way I’m playing. “It would be one of my biggest achievements to win here this week, for sure. I’ve thought about it a couple of times this week, and you don’t want to get ahead of yourself, but it would be huge. All the top guys have won the Australian PGA, so it would be nice to put my name alongside theirs on the trophy.” Ashley Hall: “Obviously the last two holes were disappointing, but it could’ve been worse. We were on edge a little bit because the stork felt like it was closing in towards the end of our round, but we managed to get in just in time. “The two eagles were obviously very nice, I actually didn’t hit that good a shot on the ninth but made a really long putt. The eagle on the 15th was a little more conventional, I hit a really nice approach and rolled in the putt.”      Harold Varner III: “I finished amazingly well. Eagles are always good, and I had two in the last four. I got a little lucky on the 17th, because it hit the pin and went in when it could just as easily bounced off the green. My round was almost the reverse of Adam’s, because he had a really good front nine then I played well on the back nine. But it was tough out there, when the wind blows hard here you just need to try to hang in there and not make too many mistakes.” Adam Scott: “I hit two in the water on the back nice, so there’s no escaping that. After such a good front nine I kind of stalled my way in, but I’m still in there – as long as Harold doesn’t hole any more shots tomorrow. There are only three players ahead of me, so I’m going to need a good score on the final day. But if I can get off to a fast start and have a front nine as good as today’s, then I’ll be right in the tournament.” Third Round Scores par 216 (3x72) 202 A Dodt (Aus) 65 67 70 204 A Hall (Aus) 65 69 70, H Varner Iii (USA) 65 72 67  206 A Scott  (Aus) 68 68 70, J Senden (Aus) 70 68 68  209 R Fox (Nzl) 67 69 73  210 S Hend (Aus) 74 70 66, J Suri (USA) 67 71 72, S Webster (Eng) 75 70 65   211 T Sinnott (Aus) 68 76 67, B Rumford (Aus) 69 71 71, M Sim  (Aus) 69 74 68, S Brazel (Aus) 75 71 65, B Coletta (am) (Aus) 72 69 70  212 O Farr (Wal) 69 73 70, R Gibson (Aus) 71 71 70, B Drewitt (Aus) 73 69 70, M Griffin (Aus) 66 74 72, T Chuayprakong (Tha) 72 71 69, R Langasque  (Fra) 74 70 68, R McCarthy (Aus) 72 70 70, I Poulter (Eng) 72 68 72, R Haller (Aus) 71 71 70, G Chalmers (Aus) 70 69 73   213 P Pittayarat (Tha) 74 71 68, S Gallacher (Sco) 72 69 72, P Lonard (Aus) 73 73 67, C Smith (Aus) 71 73 69, R Blizard (Aus) 69 73 71, M Leishman (Aus) 70 74 69, S Leaney (Aus) 71 70 72, R Kellett (Sco) 71 73 69, D Van Driel  (Ned) 72 73 68   214 J Zunic (Aus) 73 71 70, R Allenby (Aus) 70 76 68, D Lee  (Nzl) 69 73 72, N Srithong (Tha) 68 71 75, T Lewis (Eng) 73 72 69, A Stephens (Aus) 70 73 71, D Nisbet  (Aus) 69 72 73, J Van Zyl (RSA) 74 72 68  215 N Cullen (Aus) 68 74 73, B Kennedy (Aus) 71 68 76, J McLeod (Aus) 72 71 72, R Pampling (Aus) 74 71 70, P Waring  (Eng) 68 72 75   216 J Gibellini (Aus) 74 70 72, D Popovic (Aus) 70 70 76, C Davis  (Aus) 74 68 74, B Eccles (Aus) 73 69 74, A Rai (Eng) 72 71 73, J Scrivener (Aus) 73 73 70, M Ford (Eng) 75 71 70, P Meesawat  (Tha) 71 73 72, B Evans  (Eng) 74 69 73  217 D Klein  (Ger) 75 69 73, G Drakeford (Aus) 68 72 77, N Johansson (Swe) 69 76 72, G King (Eng) 74 72 71, J Norris (Aus) 72 74 71, R Green (Aus) 74 72 71, S Dyson  (Eng) 71 73 73  218 J Nitties (Aus) 74 71 73, A Brown (Aus) 73 73 72   219 P O'Malley (Aus) 69 75 75, B Neil (Sco) 72 71 76, A Pike (Aus) 74 72 73, J Lyle (Aus) 69 73 77, Y Yang (SKor) 74 71 74, S Strange (Aus) 73 73 73, M Goggin (Aus) 72 71 76  220 M Jonzon (Swe) 72 74 74, S Arnold  (Aus) 75 68 77, S Manley (Wal) 74 71 75, R Evans  (Eng) 73 73 74, K Barnes (Aus) 74 71 75  221 J Felton  (Aus) 74 71 76   222 M Lundberg (Swe) 78 68 76, M Millar (Aus) 73 72 77  224 M McCardle (Aus) 75 68 81

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS