BEIJING, May 1: Ryder Cup star Phillip Price on Saturday birdied three of his last four holes in the third round to join a five-way tie for the lead in the inaugural Masters China golf here.
Welshman Price, a late replacement for an injured Thomas Bjorn of Denmark in the $300,000 Asian Tour event, carded a superb five-under-par 67 at Pine Valley Golf Club.
He finished his round in sensational style by chipping in for birdie at the last hole.
Overnight leader Rahil Gangjee of India bogeyed the 18th en route to a 70 to join the logjam at the top of the leaderboard, alongside Korean stalwart Kang Wook-soon and Australian duo Kim Felton and Adam Groom. The leaders are on 11-under-par 205, one shot ahead of rookie Richard Moir.
Chinese ace Zhang Lian-wei endured a roller-coaster 69 that included six birdies, one bogey and a double bogey to lie two off the pace in tied seventh place with Korea's Mo Joong-kyung, American Jason Knutzon and Alistair Presnell of Australia.
"I couldnt have asked for a better finish after chipping in for birdie on 18. In order to be invited back for next year's Volkswagen Masters, Ill need to win. So thats my goal," said Price, a member of the victorious European side that lifted the Ryder Cup in 2002.
He will feature in the final twosome with Kang on Sunday.
Rookie Gangjee showed no signs of nerves leading into the third round and surged further ahead with an outward 33. But he was soon caught by the chasing pack and rued his lone bogey of the day at the last.
"It's a tight leaderboard and there are a lot of seasoned guys who can shoot a low round tomorrow. Im going to try my best," said the 25-year-old Kolkata based pro.
Two-time Asian number one Kang, who has won seven titles in the region, is aiming for his first win in three years.
With his cool composure and smooth swinging game, Kang hit all the greens in regulation but took 33 putts in his bogey-free 68. "Too many putts," moaned the Korean.
Zhang got into grief again on the 462-yard par four ninth, a poor drive finding trouble on the left and leading to a double-bogey six.
But the self-taught golfer fought back courageously on the back nine and holed a magnificent 25-footer on 17 to give himself a shot at the title.
"It's good to have a chance tomorrow," said Zhang.
Felton and Groom are chasing their maiden wins on the Asian Tour and their cause was helped when they fired rounds of 68 and 69 respectively.
Leading third round scores:
205 - Phillip Price (Wales) 68, 70, 67; Kim Felton (Australia) 70, 67, 68; Kang Wook-soon (South Korea) 70, 67, 68; Rahil Gangjee (India) 69, 66, 70; Adam Groom (Australia) 67, 69, 69.
206 - Richard Moir (Australia) 67, 70, 69.
207 - Mo Joong-kyung (South Korea) 70, 70, 67; Alistair Presnell (Australia) 71, 68, 68; Jason Knutzon (US) 69, 70, 68; Zhang Lian-wei (China) 68, 70, 69.
208 - Lee Sung-man (South Korea) 71, 71, 66; David Hearn (Canada) 70, 69, 69; Mardan Mamat (Singapore) 70, 68, 70; Kyi Hla Han (Myanmar) 70, 68, 70; Keith Horne (South Africa) 68, 70, 70; Gerald Rosales (Philippines) 72, 65, 71.
209 - Ross Bain (Scotland) 66, 73, 70.
210 - Greg Hanrahan (US) 70, 70, 70; Sushi Ishigaki (Japan) 70, 71, 69; Chris Williams (South Africa) 69, 71, 70; Unho Park (Australia) 71, 67, 72.
211 - Jason Dawes (Australia) 73, 72, 66; Anthony Kang (US) 70, 72, 69; Gaurav Ghei (India) 73, 69, 69; Lin Chien-bing (Taiwan) 73, 69, 69; Gary Rusnak (US) 69, 71, 71; Chawalit Plaphol (Thailand) 69, 71, 71.
212 - Ian Woosnam (Wales) 75, 71, 66; Koji Katoh (Japan) 73, 69, 70; Rick Gibson (Canada) 69, 73, 70; Lin Wen-Tang (Taiwan) 71, 70, 71; Edward Michaels (US) 72, 69, 71; Amandeep Johl (India) 71, 69, 72.
213 - Lu Wen-teh (Taiwan) 73, 71, 69; Eddie Lee (New Zealand) 71, 71, 71l Lam Chih Bing (Singapore) 75, 66, 72; Nick Faldo (England) 71, 70, 72.
214 - Nico van Rensburg (South Africa) 72, 74, 68; Andrew Pitts (US) 73, 72, 69; Adam Le Vesconte (Australia) 74, 69, 71; Jonathan Cheetham (England) 71, 72, 71; Boonchu Ruangkit (Thailand) 71, 71, 72; Scott Barr (Australia) 73, 68, 73.
ELLIS LEADS
NEW ORLEANS (Louisiana): Danny Ellis needed three days but he finally finished a nine-under-par 63 first round on Saturday to lead the rain-hit New Orleans classic.
Ellis led Ken Duke by a stroke, while fellow Americans Gene Sauers, Paul Azinger, David Sutherland, Robert Damron, Charles Howell III, Kirk Triplett, Joe Ogilvie, Dennis Paulson and Craig Bowden were all at six-under 66.
Rain forced organisers to postpone play late in Thursday's first round and washed out any hope of play resuming on Friday.
The first round was completed early on Saturday with second-round tee times pushed back one hour.
A decision will be made later on Saturday on the timing of the completion of the final two rounds.
Ellis, 33, who has never won on the PGA Tour, posted nine birdies around English Turn Golf and Country Club, including four straight birdies to begin his round on Thursday.
Leading first round scores (US unless stated):
63 - Danny Ellis.
64 - Ken Duke.
66 - Gene Sauers, Paul Azinger, David Sutherland, Robert Damron, Charles Howell III, Krik Triplett, Joe Ogilvie, Dennis Paulson, Craig Bowden.
67 - K.J. Choi (South Korea), Joe Durant, Justin Rose (England), Mathias Gronberg (Sweden), Ricky Barnes, Patrick Sheehan, Brian Bateman, Bob Tway, Phil Mickelson, Jay Williamson, Stephen Ames (Trinidad and Tobago), Greg Chalmers (Australia).-Agencies
