Gonzales and Higley move two ahead

Ricardo Gonzalez of Argentina and Marcus Higley of England survived a gruelling day at the office to end the third round of the Maybank Malaysian Open tied for the lead on Saturday.

Gonzalez battled to a three-under-par 69 for a seven-under-par 209 total at a sun-baked Saujana Golf and Country Club and was matched by Higley, who brilliantly produced two closing birdies for a 70.

Trailing two strokes back in the US$1.29 million Championship co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour are Angelo Que of the Philippines, who forced his way into Sunday's final group with a superb 68, Thailand's Prom Meesawat (70) and American left-hander Edward Loar (72).

Halfway leader Chinarat Phandungsil of Thailand slipped back to tied 18th place following a 77 while the tournament's big guns, England's Lee Westwood, Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland and big Dane Thomas Bjorn failed to move into the title hunt.

Westwood and Clarke, both stalwarts in Europe's victorious Ryder Cup team, fired their week's best of 71 but trails by seven and eight shots respectively. Bjorn was further back following a 74 while 2005 US Open champion Michael Campbell of New Zealand withdrew from the tournament with a shoulder injury after a 78.

Gonzalez sank four birdies and dropped a lone bogey to give himself a shot at a fourth European Tour victory. "I played last Friday in Dubai and made 65, so I came in here with some good confidence. Tomorrow, I'll try to play like today and make some putts.

"I think another three under could be a good chance to win the tournament. The course is not looking easy," said Gonzalez, who enjoyed five top-10s last season.

Higley continues to surprise even himself in his rookie season after graduating from the Challenge Tour. The Englishman started disastrously with two opening bogeys but fought back with five birdies against another dropped shot, closing with some wonderful approach shots that left him with easy birdie conversions.

"It feels good. Obviously it is new territory and I’m sure I’ll be nervous, like I was today. But I’m just going to keep doing the same things I have been doing the last few days and hopefully I will get the same results," said Higley.

Asia's hopes will rest squarely on the shoulders of Que, who charged up the leaderboard with two stunning eagles on his inward nine of 32. He holed a 50-footer on the par five 13th and then spun a wedge shot for a two at the par four 17th.

"I was putting really well and needed only 11 putts and made two eagles on the back nine. The eagle on 13 really sparked it off. I hit a four iron which was barely on the green and then holed a 50-foot putt for eagle," said Que.

It has been a while since Que has been in contention following his breakthrough victory at the 2004 Carlsberg Masters Vietnam but the jovial Filipino is hoping a new attitude will reap its rewards. "Last year, I was afraid of making mistakes. This year, my new strategy is to just commit to a shot and not be afraid. On this course, you need to commit to your shots especially the putts as there are a lot of breaks and undulation," said Que.

While Chinarat tumbled down the leaderboard with a mixed bag that included two double bogeys, four bogeys and three birdies, compatriot Prom, third on last year's Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit, rose to the challenge with a battling display to shoot four birdies and two bogeys, which were a result of three-putts.

"If you make fewer mistakes than the others, you can win. But you need to hole a lot of putts. If you miss on the wrong side, you can make three putts easily," said the burly Prom, nicknamed the "Big Dolphin" due to his hefty physique and the fact that he lives I the coastal town of Hua Hin.

"I've been trying hard to keep the ball on the fairway this week as if you miss, you have to hit a good shot out," he added.

England's Simon Dyson, who has won four times in Asia, stayed in contention despite a 73 that left him three back alongside Thai-based Scotsman Simon Yates (70), Australian David Bransdon (70) and Sweden's Peter Hedblom (68).

Leading third round scores

209 - Ricardo Gonzalez (ARG) 69-71-69, Marcus Higley (ENG) 72-67-70

211 - Angelo Que (PHI) 70-73-68, Prom Meesawat (THA) 72-69-70, Edward Loar (USA) 68-71-72

212 - Peter Hedblom (SWE) 73-71-68, Simon Yates (SCO) 73-69-70, David Bransdon (AUS) 70-72-70, Simon Dyson (ENG) 71-68-73

213 - Gary Lockerbie (ENG) 72-71-70, Graeme Storm (ENG) 72-72-69, Robert-Jan Derksen (NLD) 70-73-70, Andrew Coltart (SCO) 74-69-70, Ignacio Garrido (ESP) 76-69-68, Damien Mcgrane (IRL) 70-73-70, Frankie Minoza (PHI) 72-70-71, Mikko Ilonen (FIN) 69-70-74

214 - Terry Pilkadaris (AUS) 72-74-68, Gavin Flint (AUS) 71-71-72, Jean-Francois Lucquin (FRA) 72-68-74, Chinarat Phadungsil (THA) 70-67-77

215 - Amandeep Johl (IND) 73-71-71, Andrew Marshall (ENG) 75-69-71, Anton Haig (RSA) 74-69-72, Kyron Sullivan (WAL) 73-70-72, S.S.P. Chowrasia (IND) 67-77-71, Sam Walker (ENG) 72-71-72, Alastair Forsyth (SCO) 69-73-73, Gerald Rosales (PHI) 70-75-70

216 - Gary Simpson (AUS) 71-72-73, Marcus Both (AUS) 71-72-73, Liang Wen-chong (CHN) 73-71-72, Stephen Gallacher (SCO) 71-73-72, Lee Westwood (ENG) 75-70-71, Alessandro Tadini (ITA) 70-72-74, David Drysdale (SCO) 73-73-70, Rafael Echenique (ARG) 68-71-77

February 10, 2007

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