20 February 2005	Sunday	10 Muharram 1426

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19: Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee is on target to retain his Malaysian Open title after opening up a six-stroke lead on Saturday.

The 34-year-old shot seven birdies and two bogeys for a third round score of five-under-par-67 to finish on 19 under.

India's Joyti Randhawa recorded two eagles in a score of 65 in stifling conditions on the Saujana course for second on 13 under. Ireland's Padraig Harrington, Swede Henrik Stenson, Prom Meesawat of Thailand are all a shot further behind.

Harrington, contesting his first event of the year, chipped to three feet at the last for birdie in a score of 67 while Stenson and Prom signed off for 71s. Dane Thomas Bjorn dropped back to sixth on 11 under, having started the day two shots behind Thongchai, after bogeying four holes.

Thongchai, who has led the tournament from the first round, started with a birdie. He proceeded to birdie his third and 10th holes and also managed four more over his inward nine.

"I hit my irons really well, putted nicely, and everything was perfect today," Thongchai said. "It is nice to lead by six shots and it was also good to outscore Thomas Bjorn for a change. He had some problems driving today and missed a few putts."

World number eight Harrington birdied three of his opening five holes but let slip the chance to finish closer to Thongchai by only managing to birdie two of the four par-fives. "I am very happy with today's round and it was nice to birdie the last two holes, as it was a very tough day," Harrington said.

"But it is in Thongchai's hands. He is totally in control. Even if I shoot a low one, I have to depend on him. He obviously likes the course and you would think he would stall at some stage, but he just keeps on going." Australia's Richard Moir recorded the second hole-in-one of the tournament when he aced the par-three 12th hole that he was playing as his third.

THIRD ROUND SCORES:

197 Thongchai Jaidee 64 66 67

203 Jyoti Randhawa 70 68 65

204 Padraig Harrington 71 66 67, Prom Meesawat 68 65 71, Henrik Stenson 69 64 71

205 Thomas Bjorn 68 64 73

207 David Bransdon 68 71 68, Robert-Jan Derksen 71 69 67, Pelle Edberg 67 69 71, Peter Gustafsson 70 65 72, Stuart Manley 70 71 66, Simon Yates 69 69 69

208 Niclas Fasth 67 70 71, Miguel Angel Jimenez 68 67 73, Paul McGinley 68 70 70, Gary Murphy 71 66 71.

BOWDITCH LEAD REDUCED

SYDNEY: Australia's Steven Bowditch recovered from a shaky start to his third round to stay three shots ahead of the field in the South Australian Open at Royal Adelaide on Saturday.

The 21-year-old regained his composure after bogeying five of the first seven holes to shoot an even-par round of 72 for a three round total of 10-under-par 206. Brent Schwarzrock shot 70 to finish the day in outright second at seven-under-par, two shots ahead of fellow American Dean Pappas, who carded a 71.

Australia's 1990 U.S. PGA champion Wayne Grady shot a 68, the best round of the day, to jump into a six-way tie for fourth spot at four-under 212. He was joined by compatriots Martin Doyle, Greg Chalmers, Nathan Green and Craig Jones and American Greg Kraft.

Bowditch started the day five shots ahead of the field on 10-under-par but lost his outright lead after a wild start in which he made just one par on the front nine.

He bogeyed the first hole and although he made an eagle on the par-five second, bogeys at the third, fourth, sixth and seventh holes dropped him back to seven-under.

The Queens lander regained sole possession of the lead when he birdied the eighth and ninth holes then played the back nine in a far more routine manner, collecting two birdies and a bogey to finish his roller-coaster round all square. The South Australian Open is co-sanctioned by the Australasian tour and the U.S. PGA's secondary tour.

THIRD ROUND SCORES:

206 Steven Bowditch 67 67 72

209 Brent Schwarzrock 70 69 70

211 Dean Pappas 72 68 71

212 Wayne Grady 72 72 68, Martin Doyle 69 73 70, Greg Chalmers 68 71 73, Greg Kraft 72 69 71, Nathan Green 71 70 71, Craig Jones 68 73 71

213 Chris Tidland 71 68 74, Brandt Snedeker 72 69 72, Ryan Armour 69 75 69, Michael Wright 71 71 71. -Agencies