BMW Asian Open 2006 - Round 3: Henrik Stenson holds on to narrow lead

Henrik Stenson withstood the pressure from the chasing pack and held on to a slender one-stroke lead in the third round of the US$1.8 million BMW Asian Open on Saturday.

The super cool Swede carded a one-under-par 71 for a three-day total of six-under-par 210 as he left Spanish newcomer Gonzalo Castano Fernandez trailing by a single stroke at the Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club.

It was a three way tie for third position with New Zealander Mahal Pearce, Englishman Paul Casey, bidding for a third title in China, and Aussie veteran Peter O'Malley lying two strokes adrift.

Stenson , the world number 15, returned early this morning to complete two putts of his second round on the 18th green and signed for a 72 and then got off to a flying start in his third round as he fired a birdie on the first hole.

But he then dropped shots at the third and sixth but the Swede remained unnerved as he battled through the chilly winds and closed in with birdies on the ninth and 16 th holes. “It could have been a little better. I didn't feel I played as good as I did yesterday but I put a decent score together and I'm right up where I want to be tomorrow,” said Stenson .

“It was tough out there. It's tricky in the wind and I had a few chances with a couple of putts I could have made but I'm happy with the position obviously going into tomorrow. I don't pay attention to who is really behind me. One shot at a time, one hole at a time, that's the key. I'm holding up well.”

Asian Tour regular Pearce charged up the leaderboard in the co-sanctioned event after an impressive three birdies on the front nine coupled with a birdie on the 12 th hole. He bogeyed the 14 th but produced back-to-back birdies on the 15 th and 16 th holes before dropping a shot at the 18 th hole to sit in tied third.

“It was a nice day out there as I managed six birdies. Three putted the last but it was a solid round so I'm pretty pleased with that,” he said. “I've just been going out there and playing. One day the driver might be working and on another day the putter might be working, today they both seem to come together, so it was good. Nothing much hap pen ed at the last hole. I hit a driver then wedged out of the trees. I used a nine iron and three putted,” he said.

Korea 's Charlie Wi , ranked second on Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit, Thai ace Thaworn Wiratchant and Jarrod Lyle shared 13 th position alongside England 's Simon Wakefield and Irish duo of Peter Lawrie and David Higgins.

Wi recovered well after a disastrous start with four bogeys in a row from the third. The May bank Malaysian O pen champion bounced back and fired a birdie at the seventh and holed two consecutive birdies at the 13 th and 14 th holes before a fifth bogey at the 15 th .

“It was very tough and it got really cold out there. My hands were really numb. But two over with the way I started is really not too bad,” said Wi . “I started off poorly and fought back. I don't think like I'm out of the tournament. I know I'm playing well enough to shoot a 65 or 64 tomorrow and I've done it in events in the past. I'm not counting myself out and I'm looking forward to some better weather tomorrow,” he said.

Malaysia 's Danny Chia , who was in strong contention on Friday, slipped down from tied third to equal 19th position. Chia , the 2002 Taiwan O pen champion, struggled with a disappointing 76.

“The wind was tricky and the main thing was the cold weather got to me today. My hands were quite numb and affected my short game,” said Chia . “I hit quite a few good approach shots and I couldn't get the speed right and got a little bit frustrated. The main thing was on the 16 th hole when I three putted from five feet. I thought I hit a decent putt but it was way to hard and I missed the comebacker ,” lamented the Malaysian.

It was a similar tale Filipino legend Frankie Minoza who stumbled with a 76 as well and dropped off the leaderboard to tied 19 th alongside Thailand 's Chapchai Nirat who was even-par with Pakistan O pen winner Chris Rodgers on 73.

Chinese talent Liang Weng- chong dropped to tied 44 th position after a 76. The BMW Asian O pen is jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.

Besides the action on the course, spectators to the BMW Asian O pen can also witnessed a spectacular Golf Show by renowed trick golfer Noel Hunt.

Hunt, who has performed at over 200 major PGA thrilled the packed gallery today with his dazzling array of shots using all manners of clubs. Hailed by the world's top players as the World Number One Golf Show, Hunt will perform before the winner's prize presentation on Sunday.

In addition, spectators to the BMW Asian O pen Public Village can also enjoy the food and wine booths, the UBS Game Improvement Zone, an Emirates Hole in One Challenge, Mini Golf , Golf Simulators and the popular BMW Children Safety Park .

April 22, 2006

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