HONG KONG: New Zealand’s Michael Campbell and Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain share the third-round lead at the Hong Kong Open yesterday.
Campbell, who is looking to end a seven-year winless drought, holed a testing 15-foot par putt at the last to complete a 1-under round of 69. He is on 10 under 200 for the tournament.
Jimenez posted a third-round 68 as he aims to win the event for a third time in nine years.
“I wouldn’t say I played well today as it was a bit scrappy and really pretty average but then I managed to grind out a score and that’s important when you are not playing all that well,” said Campbell.
Campbell survived a scare during his round when he accidently knocked his ball off the tee at the par four 10th hole while taking a practice swing.
But the 2005 US Open champion avoided a two-stroke penalty after a ruling that he had not addressed the ball and therefore was not in breach of the rules.
“I’ve never ever done that before in 38 years of playing golf and knocking the ball off the tee in taking a practice swing,” said Campbell.
Campbell, ranked at No. 339th, has won 15 career titles but none since the 2005 HSBC World MatchPlay Championship in England.
“It would be very satisfying to be standing here tomorrow night as the ... winner, given what has happened in my life and with my career the last seven years,” he said.
Matteo Manassero posted an equal-best third round score of 64 to move into a share of third place on 9 under with 47-year old Lian-wei Zhang (69) of China.
“I played well throughout the whole round so everything came together for me,” said Manassero, who won the Singapore Open last week. “After winning last week that has made me more relaxed on the golf course, and my position is certainly due to what happened last week as I’ve got more freedom.”
Denmark’s Anders Hansen (70) and Ireland’s Peter Lawrie (67) share fourth place on 7 under while American Matt Kuchar (66) is among five players in eighth place, four shots off the lead.
Donald remains four clear in Japan
Meantime, world No. 3 Luke Donald fired a level par 71 in the third round of the Dunlop Phoenix yesterday to retain a four-shot lead heading into the final round of the Japan Golf Tour event.
Donald mixed three birdies with three bogeys for a 13-under 200 total at the Phoenix Country Club, where play was held up for two hours because of inclement weather on the Hitotsuba Pacific Coast in the south of the country.
The Englishman, who last year became the first golfer to win the European and PGA Tour money lists in the same season, leads Australian Brendan Jones (67) and Japan’s Shunsuke Sonoda (71) at the 200,000,000 yen ($2.46 million) event.
Japan money-list leader Hiroyuki Fujita (70), who has two further events following this week’s tournament to retain his advantage, and Hirohito Koizumi (68) are tied fourth a further shot back.
Big-hitting Spaniard Alvaro Quiros fired a 69 to hold a share of tenth on five-under, while victorious European Ryder Cup member Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium sits joint 25th on one-under for the event after a disappointing 72.
Campbell, Jimenez share Hong Kong Open lead
