LEMONT, Illinois, July 7: Australia’s Robert Allenby cranked up his game several notches during the middle of the third round to take a two-shot lead at the $4 million Western Open Saturday.
Allenby was one-under for the first seven holes, but then made four birdies and an eagle over the next nine on his way to a seven-under-par round of 65 and a 15-under total of 201.
Neal Lancaster (67) was second on 203, with Jerry Kelly and Bob Estes sharing third place on 204. Davis Love III and second-round leader John Cook were another shot back.
Third round scores
201 Robert Allenby (Australia) 69 67 65
203 Neal Lancaster 68 68 67
204 Jerry Kelly 67 69 68, Bob Estes 66 70 68
205 Davis Love III 67 70 68, John Cook 67 66 72
206 David Frost (South Africa) 67 73 66, Chris Riley 70 70 66, Duffy Waldorf 70 70 66, Scott Verplank 67 69 70, Stuart Appleby (Australia) 70 65 71
207 Bob Tway 70 72 65, Nick Price (Zimbabwe) 73 68 66, John Senden (Australia) 71 70 66, Brandt Jobe 69 69 69, Paul Gow (Australia) 69 68 70, Vijay Singh (Fiji) 68 67 72
STRAFFAN, Ireland: New Zealand’s Michael Campbell fired a closing 73 to win the European Open by one shot at the K Club on Sunday, despite bogeying the last four holes.
The 33-year-old, who began the day one stroke ahead of the field, finished at six-under-par 282 to clinch the fifth European Tour title of his career.
Irishman Padraig Harrington, joint-second overnight, also shot a 73 to tie for second with European number one Retief Goosen and Welshman Bradley Dredge, who both carded final rounds of 68, and Scot Paul Lawrie, who closed with a 73.
Campbell, who soared to prominence in his rookie season in Europe when he led the 1995 British Open at St Andrews after three rounds.
HUTCHINSON, (Kansas): Annika Sorenstam moved closer to her third US Women’s Open title when she eased to a two-stroke lead after the third round Saturday.
Sorenstam missed only one fairway and three greens in regulation in a robotic display of consistency on her way to a one-under-par 69 on the demanding Prairie Dunes course.—Reuters/AFP