PHILIPINE OPEN RELATED STORIES Philipine Open Preview Round 1: Buckle into lead with 66 Round 2: Boonchu battles into halfway lead Round 3: Dawes shatters course record to lead Round 4: Vesconte wins by four strokes Final Scores & Prize Money ASIAN GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Lam Masters the art of winning Thongchai on a double hat-trick Thongchai does Indochina double Tour card battle in Cambodia Thongchai gets the job done Report predicts 30% China golf growth GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Geoff Ogilvy leads in Hawaii Pair lead with opening 63s Olazabal warns again complacency Els makes happy Hawaiian landing Amateur: 'Big as a bucket' - true!

Dawes shatters course record to lead

Australian Jason Dawes (pictured) smashed the course record with a sizzling nine-under-par 62 to lead the Philippine Open by one stroke from Thailand's Boonchu Ruangkit after the third round on Saturday.

The 31-year-old Aussie, winner of the Taiwan Open in 2003, was in fiery mood with an unblemished card of nine birdies at the par-71 Mt Malayarat Golf and Country Club and bettered the previous course mark by two strokes.

Dawes leads the US$200,000 Asian Tour event on seven-under-par 206 ahead of the 49-year-old Boonchu, who paid dearly for a late stumble when he ran up a double bogey on the par four 16th hole en route to a 69.

Another Australian Adam Le Vesconte was a further stroke back after a 67 which was highlighted by an eagle two on the 16th. Former Philippine Open champion Gerald Rosales and amateur star Juvic Pagunsan, last year's runner-up, carried the local hopes as they finished the day on 209 in tied fourth place following rounds of 67 and 69 respectively.

Dawes has missed seven cuts this season but arrived in Manila with his confidence boosted after finishing tied 14th in last week's Macau Open. After switching to a broomhandle putter which paid off, the Australian hit form on the greens to improve his score by 10 shots after matching 72s in the opening two rounds.

"The pins were a lot more accessible today and there were opportunities to make birdies which I took. I have to be patient again in the final round and wait for my chances. I've been a pro for 11 years and know that you have to stay patient," said Dawes, who was tied 27th overnight.

Boonchu, a legend in his own right with five career victories on the Asian Tour, was poised to retain his overnight advantage until reaching the 16th. He found the green in regulation but caught the wrong side of the treacherous putting surface. His birdie attempt rolled off the green and after a poor chip and another two putts later, he signed for a disappointing six.

"That green is difficult. I only wanted to lag the putt and put it close but it just rolled off the green. That was disappointing," said Boonchu (pictured), whose win in his home Open last year made him the eldest winner on Tour.

With his family providing support, Rosales, winner here in 2000, will be looking for a final push for glory after a bogey-free round moved him into contention. The brother of LPGA Tour star Jennifer, Rosales (pictured) lost his card on the Asian Tour last year but victory would get him straight back into the big leagues once again as a two-year exemption comes with the winner's cheque on Sunday.

Still, the slightly-built Rosales knows the pressure of delivering in front of his home fans is daunting. "I'm happy to have a chance. But there is a lot of pressure and distractions for the local players this week. I hit the ball to all the right places today and made some putts," he said.

Thailand's Somkiat Srisanga and Canadian Darren Griff share fourth place with the local heroes while Malaysia's Shaaban Hussein and American Bryan Saltus are within striking distance on 210. First round leader Andrew Buckle fell further back after his second straight 73.

The 89th Philippine Open, Asia's oldest national Championship, is the 13th leg of this season's Asian Tour.

Leading third round scores
206 - Jason Dawes (AUS) 72-72-62
207 - Boonchu Ruangkit (THA) 70-68-69
208 - Adam Le Vesconte (AUS) 71-70-67
209 - Gerald Rosales (PHI) 69-73-67, Somkiat Srisanga (THA) 67-75-67, Darren Griff (CAN) 69-72-68, Juvic Pagunsan [A] (PHI) 68-72-69
210 - Shaaban Hussein (MAS) 73-70-67, Bryan Saltus (USA) 68-74-68
211 - Chapchai Nirat (THA) 73-72-66, Wisut Artjanawat (THA) 73-71-67, Tony Lascuna (PHI) 72-71-68, Rey Pagunsan (PHI) 70-72-69
212 - R. Nachimuthu (MAS) 72-73-67, Ron Won (USA) 69-71-72, Andrew Buckle (AUS) 66-73-73
213 - Lee Seong-ki (KOR) 71-75-67, Keith Horne (RSA) 72-73-68, Lam Chih Bing (SIN) 74-71-68, Chris Travers (AUS) 68-75-70, John Wither (SCO) 68-73-72, Jochen Lupprian (GER) 71-70-72, Gilberto Morales (VEN) 71-70-72
214 - Richard Backwell (AUS) 71-75-68, Artemio Murakami [A] (PHI) 75-70-69, Robin Hodgetts (AUS) 75-70-69, Airil Rizman Zahari (MAS) 70-72-72, Arjun Singh (IND) 72-70-72
215 - Olle Nordberg (SWE) 73-73-69, Jay Bayron [A] (PHI) 76-68-71, Danny Chia (MAS) 72-71-72, Chris Gill (ENG) 72-69-74, Felix Casas (PHI) 70-70-75

May 21, 2005