Taiwan's Lin stays top of leader board
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