Taiwan's Lin stays top of leader board
JAKARTA (Agencies): Despite his disappointing two-over par 74 yesterday, Taiwan's Lin Keng-chi retained his place at the top of the leader board after the third round of the Omega Tour's US$500,000 Samsung Masters in Pusan, South Korea.
Lin, faultless before the turn, hit two birdies, a double bogey and two bogeys on the back nine to finish seven under par, four strokes clear of compatriot Lu Chien-soon, Korea's Park Nam- sin and Mike Cunning of the United States.
"I was playing fairly well on the front nine, driving accurately and hitting the greens, but for one reason or another my birdie putts just wouldn't go in," said 29-year-old Lin, the only double champion on the Omega tour.
"On the back nine I found it harder to read the swirling wind, and the cold conditions, which I think affected everyone today, made it difficult for me to find a rhythm.
"The players behind me weren't playing particularly well either, so there was a little pressure and maybe this made me relax a little."
Lin, who shot 68 and 67 in the first two rounds, made his first bogey at the 10th after hitting his second shot behind a tree, but pulled a stroke back at the 13th when he sank a monster putt from 20 yards.
His double bogey came at the next hole when he topped his second shot and then took two chips and two birdies to get down.
At the 16th Lin's lead was reduced to three when he three- putted, but he reasserted his grip on the tournament by driving the 18th green in two for a comfortable birdie.
"I used a three wood to reach the 18th green in two, but I had a very awkward downhill lie from about 15 feet and I wasn't really expecting to make an eagle," added Lin, on course for his third Omega Tour title after winning July's Tournament Players Championship in Malaysia and the Yokohama Singapore PGA Championship in August.
Lu, second overnight after shooting a record equaling 65, also had a disappointing day carding a one-par 73, while Cunning sank a 30 foot putt on the closing hole to finish with a one under 71.
Korean favorite Park recorded the lowest round all the leader with a two under 70, while three of his compatriots shared fifth place on two-under par.
Results
Leading scores 209 - Lin Keng-chi (Tpe) 68-67-74 213 - Lu Chien-soon (Tpe) 75-65-73
Park Nam-sin (Kor) 68-75-70
Mike Cunning (USA) 72-70-71 214 - Kim Jong-duck (Kor) 71-71-72
Park No-seok (Kor) 73-71-70
Chung Joon 74-69-71 215 - John Kernohan (USA) 66-76-73 216 - Scott Taylor (USA) 71-70-75
Kim Sung-ho (Kor) 74-71-71 217 - Richard Kaplan (Rsa) 71-74-73
Robert Willis (Aus) 70-74-73
Gerry Norquist (USA) 70-77-70
Tseng Kuo-chang (Tpe) 72-74-71 218 - Han Young-kun (Kor) 71-74-73
Choi Jin-kyu (Kor) 73-77-68
Ahn Yong-jun (Kor) 70-77-71