Aussie McKenzie eyes senior debut win  ahead of London finale

Tournament: Staysure PGA Seniors Championship

This image of David McKenzie is displayed by courtesy of Getty Images  David McKenzie will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship, as he goes in search of his debut win on the Staysure Tour on Sunday. The Australian, who qualified for the championship via Monday’s qualifying event, has never won on European soil but after his round of 68, four-under-par, he sits in pole position ahead of the final round at London Golf Club. The 52-year-old finished tied fifth at The Senior Open  last week and has brought his form from Royal Lytham and St Annes, Lancashire down to Kent, where he followed up his opening rounds of 65-69 with another sub-70 score. A bogey on the first, having found the water, did not upset him as he bounced back with a gain on the third hole. A second birdie on the front nine came at the sixth as he went out in 35 strokes, one under par, to apply the pressure to overnight leaders Peter Lonoard and Phillip Price. McKenzie then turned up the heat on the back nine, making three birdies, including one on the last, to take the outright lead at the end of day three. With 18-holes left to play, McKenzie is excited at the prospect of an inaugural victory on the over-50s circuit. “It’d be fantastic to win on the Staysure Tour and to win in Europe, as I haven’t done that as a senior in Europe or America, plus I haven’t done that on the main tour in either America or Europe,” he said.  “It’d be nice to beat some of guys that I always looked up to when I was playing mini-tours. It’s great to play with them and it’d be great to beat them. “My game was scrappier than the other days. I hit one in the water on the first hole which wasn’t good for my nerves, but I steadied myself with a nice birdie on the third and played nicely from there. “I was aware 13 under par was the target, so on 18 I knew I needed to hit it on the fairway to have a chance with the putter. Fortunately, I’ve done that pretty well all week, so hopefully I can do that again tomorrow.” James Kingston, who set the clubhouse target at 13 under par, is one shot behind the Aussie following the joint-low round of the week, an eight-under-par round of 64, which featured a back nine of five-under-par, as the South African eyes a debut win on the over-50s' circuit. Australian Peter Fowler also signed for a round of 64 to move up the leaderboard on day three and occupies third place, two shots behind McKenzie, alongside compatriot Lonard and Price of Wales, as both players carded one under par rounds of 71, having led at the halfway point. Irishman Paul McGinley moved into contention after a round of 67, to sit in sixth place while Major Champion Michael Campbell and Thaworn Wiratchant share seventh at ten under par total. Scores after round three:  par 216 (3x72)  202 D McKenzie (Australia) 65 69 68   203 J Kingston (SAf) 70 69 64   204 P Fowler (Australia) 67 73 64, P Price (Wales) 67 66 71, P Lonard (Australia) 69 64 71  205 P McGinley (Irl) 69 69 67  206 T Wiratchant (Thai) 74 67 65, M Campbell (NZ) 68 71 67  207 M Martin (Spn) 69 68 70, B Lane (Eng) 72 67 68, T Milford (Eng) 71 65 71,   208 M Atlevi (Swe) 67 70 71  209 C Dennis (USA) 70 66 73, S Micheel (USA) 71 68 70, T Levet (Fra) 73 66 70, C Williams (SAf) 66 73 70   210 S Dodd (Wales) 67 70 73, C Montgomerie  (Sco) 70 69 71  211 M Molina (Arg) 71 69 71, J Carriles (Spn) 71 72 68, G Evans (Eng) 73 72 66, J Coceres (Arg) 70 70 71, R Chapman (Eng) 70 72 69, P Eales (Eng) 70 72 69  212 R Gomez (Arg) 71 72 69, M McNulty (Irl) 71 72 69, M Brier (Austria) 72 71 69,   213 P Wilson (Eng) 71 68 74, S Little (Eng) 69 72 72, D Gilford (Eng) 72 70 71, G Wolstenholme (Eng) 70 69 74, P O'Malley (Aus) 68 74 71, A Bossert (Switz) 69 69 75,   214 J Harrison (Eng) 73 71 70, J Cheetham (Eng) 68 72 74, J Lomas (Eng) 73 70 71, B May (USA) 69 73 72, D Olsen (USA) 75 68 71, P Baker (Eng) 70 72 72  215 D Shacklady (Eng) 68 74 73, D Smyth (Irl) 75 67 73, M Stimson (Wales) 70 72 73, V Guest (Eng) 71 70 74, S Brown (Eng) 69 73 73   216 G Manson (Austria) 73 68 75, P Streeter (Eng) 70 69 77, G Marks (Eng) 72 70 74, G Turner (NZ) 71 71 74  217 T Thelen (USA) 75 69 73, J Remesy (Fra) 71 73 73, S Luna (Spn) 71 71 75, J Romero Carrasco (Spn) 73 72 72, B Longmuir (Sco) 71 73 73, A Oldcorn (Sco) 71 72 74  218 S Bennett (Eng) 75 70 73, G Emerson (Eng) 72 72 74, P Golding (Eng) 75 69 74  219 M Wharton (Eng) 71 72 76, M Ridley (Eng) 72 72 75  220 A Miller (Eng) 72 72 76, G Brown (Eng) 74 67 79  224 D Prosser (Eng) 71 74 79