LOCH LOMOND, Scotland, 10 July 2005 — Overnight leader Maarten Lafeber held off the challenge of some of the European Tour’s biggest names before being caught by South Africa’s Tim Clark in the Scottish Open third round yesterday.

Dutchman Lafeber, who would book a place at next week’s British Open by finishing as the highest non-exempt player at Loch Lomond, carded a three-under-par 68 on a third successive day of near-perfect scoring conditions.

The 30-year-old from Eindhoven, a stroke ahead of the field after a second-round 63, finished at 15-under 198, level with Clark, who holed a 25-foot birdie putt at the par-three 17th on his way to a 65.

World No. 3 Ernie Els and British Ryder Cup players Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie made early assaults on the leaderboard before slipping back on the more difficult second nine. Lafeber briefly moved three strokes clear after eagling the par-five third and making birdie at the fourth but he stumbled with a bogey at the par-three eighth — his only blemish of the day.

Clark, who plays most of his golf on the US PGA Tour, moved into contention for his third European Tour title with an eagle at the third, five birdies and a drop at the 15th, where he found rough off the tee. Big-hitting Argentine Angel Cabrera birdied the last for a 68 to share third place at 14 under with Britain’s Alastair Forsyth, who picked up shots at two of the last four holes for a 67. A further two strokes back in a three-way share of fifth were Northern Irishman Clarke (69), Australia’s Adam Scott (64) and Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee (66).

World No. 7 Scott, back at Loch Lomond after a two-year absence, produced the best round of the day after reeling off eight birdies and a solitary bogey on 14. Seven-time European No. 1 Montgomerie returned a 66 to tie for 11th at 10 under but was left to rue his poor putting.

Level with Montgomerie was three-times major winner Els, who got to 12 under before pulling his tee shot into water at the last on his way to a double-bogey six and a 67.

Lewis Continues to Lead

Way at John Deere Classic

American JL Lewis extended his lead to three strokes midway through the third round of the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois yesterday.

Lewis, who claimed the first of two career PGA Tour titles at the John Deere in 1999, made a poor start with a bogey at the first hole. But he recovered with birdies on seven and eight as he moved to 14-under for the tournament.

Lurking three shots back were Japan’s Shigeki Maruyama, Sweden’s Richard S Johnson and Americans Wes Short Jr and Craig Bowden.

Much of the buzz that had surrounded the warm-up event for next week’s British Open at St. Andrews disappeared on Friday when American teenager Michelle Wie failed in her bid to become the first woman in 60 years to make the cut at a PGA Tour event.