Walker leads $500,000 Omega PGA Championship

By Bobby Allan Wilson

HONG KONG (JP): Scotland's Kenny Walker will look to rid himself of his worst golfing nightmare when he heads into the final round of the US$500,000 Omega PGA Championship at Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club.

The 31-year-old Scot, who lives in Hua Hin, Thailand, fired a four-under-par 66 to lead the Omega Tour event on nine-under-par 201 by a stroke from Korea's Choi Kyung-ju.

Choi, who led at the start of the day by five strokes from Walker, returned a two-over-par 72.

Walker, in search of his first big Tour win, lost the Kuala Lumpur Open to Korean Kang Wook-soon by a stroke last year after missing three foot putts over the closing three holes.

"It was a bad collapse. I try not to think about it too much. If I can just play steadily in the final round I'll have a good chance," said Walker, a former Scottish Amateur champion.

"I have played very steadily all week. I made one mistake in the second round, when I hit a tee shot into the bushes. Luckily the ball kicked back into the fairway."

Walker made ground on Choi after firing birdies on two, four, 13 and 15.

"The only mistake I have made on the greens in three rounds was on 16," added Walker. "I nearly holed my first putt from 25 feet and then my next for par lipped out."

The Scot shook off the bogey by holing a 10 footer for a birdie on the 17th.

For the first time in three days the sun came out and the wind died down at Clearwater Bay.

"Conditions were perfect," said Walker. "I hope the weather stay fines. I fancy my chances more."

While Walker basked in the sun, Choi, who fired a 65 in cold and breezy weather in round two, was thrown by the change in conditions.

"I misjudged many shots and left myself many long putts," said Choi, who led on 10 under at the turn but made bogies on par threes 11 and 14. "On both those par threes I hit the wrong iron.

Yesterday there was a strong wind on both holes but without the wind today I did not know what irons to hit.

"While the Korean went through the green on 11 and had to chip back, he under clubbed on 14 and three putted from 30 feet.

"I still feel I have a good chance," added Choi, a three time winner this year in Korea. "Tomorrow I feel I can win." Lying in a tie for third place on six under are Rodrigo Cuello of the Philippines, who carded a 65,

Korea's Park No-seok, in with a 68, Myanmar's Zaw Moe, with a 69, and Taiwan's Lu Wen-teh, who also fired a 69. Taiwan's Chang Tse-peng equaled the course record with 64 to lie five under with Chris Williams and India's Jyoti Randhawa.

Defending champion Gerry Norquist gave himself a good chance of taking the Omega Order of Merit title in what is the final counting event on the 1997 Omega Tour, after firing a three-under-par 67 to lie at four under for the tournament. If the American were to successfully defend his title and claim the first place cheque of US$80,750 it would take him to the top of the money list ahead of compatriot and good friend Mike Cunning.

Cunning missed the cut this week and leads the list on US$170,619 while Norquist is in fifth place on US$105,711.

Canadian Jim Rutledge, in 10th place on the list with US$90,898, is also within striking distance on three under.

Results: 201 - Kenny Walker (Sco) 68-67-66 202 - Choi Kyung-ju (Kor) 65-65-72 204 - Rodrigo Cuello (Phi) 70-69-65, Park No-seok (Kor) 64-72-68, Zaw Moe (Mya) 66-69-69, Lu Wen-Teh (Tpe) 64-71-69 205 - Chang Tse-Peng (Tpe) 70-71-64, Chris Williams (Gbr) 68-71- 66, Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 68-69-68 206 - Gerry Norquist (USA) 71-68-67, Craig Kamps (Rsa) 67-71-68, Choi Gwang-soo (Kor) 66-71-69 207 - Jim Rutledge (Can) 70-68-69, Dino Kwek (Sin) 66-69-72 208 - Yoshiaki Daijo (Jpn) 71-72-65, Takeshi Ohyama (Jpn) 70-71- 67, Cheng Jun (Chn) 72-69-67, Arjun Atwal (Ind) 70-70-68, Hendrik Buhrmann (Rsa) 68-72-68, Chen Liang-Hsi (Tpe) 66-72-70, Lai Ying-Juh (Tpe) 67-71-70 209 - Kim Jong-duck (Kor) 68-74-67, Nico Van Rensburg (Rsa) 73-68-68, Ted Purdy (USA) 67-72-70, Aaron Meeks (USA) 71-68-70, Carlos Espinosa (Mex) 70-69-70, Arjun Singh (Ind) 67-71-71, Leith Wastle (Aus) 64-74-71, Dominique Boulet (Hkg) 66-69-74 210 - Zhang Lian-Wei (Chn) 71-71-68)