Westwood three behind with a round

 to go in KLM Open

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Kiradech Aphibarnrat holed a 25ft birdie putt on the 18th to snatch a one-shot lead going into the final round of the KLM Open, with Lee Westwood, pictured left by courtesy of Getty Images(c), lurking among the chasing pack, looking to catch the talented Thai in Sunday’s final round.

The 28 year old Aphibarnrat led for much of the third round, but spurned several good birdie chances on the back nine at The Dutch and seemed to have paid the price for his profligacy when he was caught by France’s Romain Wattel.

However, that fine birdie at the last gave Aphibarnrat a round of five-under 66 and a 14 under par total of 199 – one ahead of Wattel; two clear of Frenchman Joel Stalter and three clear of Westwood, German Sebastien Heisele and Sweden’s Joakim Lagergren.

Wattel has a chance to end his wait for a first European Tour title after a flawless 64, having twice been a European Tour runner-up and with 25 top-ten finishes to his name.

Westwood, meanwhile, is looking to add a 24^th European Tour title to an incredible career that has seen the 44 year old win in more countries around the world than any other golfer. The Englishman is seeking a second KLM Open title, having won the event for the first time in 1999.

Westwood said: “I made a pretty slow start today – I three- putted the fifth for bogey but managed to make a birdie straight away at the sixth and from there I really just started chipping away and trying to get back into it which I managed to do thankfully. 

"I played nicely again and am very happy with how I am striking the ball. I just need a few more putts to drop tomorrow.

“It was nice to birdie the last and get closer to the leaders and it was nice to give the crowd something to cheer. They’ve been brilliant this week, as they always are in Holland. Given the conditions of wind and rain this week you have to salute the fans.

“I haven’t been in contention for a while really so it feels pretty good to be up there going into the final round. I’m sure I’ll remember what to do when the time comes.”

THIRD ROUND SCOREBOARD

par 213 (3x71)

199 K Aphibarnrat (Thailand) 68 65 66

200 R Wattel  (Fra) 69 67 64

201 J Stalter (Fra) 65 67 69

202 S Heisele (Ger) 66 68 68, L Westwood (Eng) 70 65 67, J Lagergren (Swe) 67 65 70

204 A Connelly (Canada) 71 67 66, M Manassero (Ita) 68 68 68, J Walters (SAf) 72 67 65, G Coetzee (SAf) 69 67 68

205 R Finch  (Eng) 66 67 72, M Wallace (Eng) 68 68 69

206 B Wiesberger  (Austria) 66 69 71, W Ashun (China) 67 68 71, E Pepperell (Eng) 69 68 69

207 M Pavon (Fra) 68 69 70, F Zanotti (Paraguay) 70 70 67, P Dunne (Ire) 74 68 65, J Lima  (Portugal) 70 68 69, M Ilonen  (Finland) 69 70 68, S Manley (Wales) 71 68 68, C Wood  (Eng) 70 69 68, C Pigem  (Spn) 72 67 68, C Hanson (Eng) 68 71 68, P Hanson (Swe) 70 69 68, M Carlsson  (Swe) 72 68 67

208 D Frittelli (SAf) 70 69 69, D Perrier (Fra) 69 70 69, B Evans  (Eng) 72 69 67, M Korhonen (Finland) 67 71 70, J Scrivener (Australia 70 68 70, C Berardo (Fra) 69 72 67, W Ormsby (Australia) 74 68 66, R Bland (Eng) 71 67 70

209 D Stewart (Sco) 71 68 70, J Carlsson (Swe) 75 67 67, W Besseling  (Netherlands) 70 69 70, D Brooks (Eng) 69 71 69, F Fritsch  (Ger) 71 70 68, T Sinnott (Australia) 68 73 68, R Fisher (Eng) 73 68 68, M Warren (Sco) 69 67 73, J Suri (USA) 70 68 71, P Widegren  (Swe) 68 72 69, T Detry  (Belgium) 75 66 68

210 M Kieffer (Ger) 69 69 72, O Fisher  (Eng) 72 68 70, D Burmester (SAf) 77 65 68, R Ramsay  (Sco) 70 72 68, D Horsey (Eng) 76 66 68

211 P Angles  (Spn) 68 70 73, R Dinwiddie  (Eng) 69 69 73, A Björk (Swe) 73 65 73

212 P Harrington (Ire) 72 70 70, J Fahrbring (Swe) 69 73 70, D Huizing (Netherlands) 69 71 72, M Albertus (Netherlands) 69 70 73, A Otaegui  (Spn) 71 71 70

213 A Chesters  (Eng) 70 70 73, P Maddy (Eng) 69 69 75, A Cañizares  (Spn) 72 70 71, R Fox (NZ) 71 71 71, A Wall (Eng) 70 69 74

214 R Miller (Netherlands) 73 69 72, J Edfors (Swe) 68 74 72, J Ahlers (SAf) 72 69 73, N Fasth (Swe) 69 72 73, G Storm  (Eng) 70 72 72, S Brazel (Australia) 73 67 74

215 J Campillo (Spn) 76 66 73, S Gros (Fra) 75 66 74