2006 Barclays Singapore Open - Round 3: Scott ans Els locked in battle

Titleholder Adam Scott of Australia set up a mouth-watering showdown with South Africa's Ernie Els at the Barclays Singapore Open after an imperious five-under-par-66 on Saturday.

Scott, the world's number six, erased a three-stroke overnight deficit with a flawless display in the third round at Sentosa Golf Club's Serapong course to tie Els, who carded a 69, on eight-under-par 205.

Els, the co-overnight leader, needed an injection to treat a bout of food poisoning during a two-hour weather disruption but he battled gamely to sink four birdies against a lone bogey.

The leading duo are three shots clear of Australian Brad Kennedy, who birdied his last hole for a 70. China's Liang Wen-chong battled courageously for a second straight 68 in the US$3 million Asian Tour's flagship event to lie four shots off the pace while tenacious Indian Shiv Kapur is fifth on 211 after a 72.

Only eight players broke par on another tough scoring day at the event billed the Major of Asia, which attracted record crowds of 6,000 today. Despite a two-hour weather disruption, Scott was super-charged as he fired five birdies against no bogeys.

"It turned out to be a long day but I'm really happy with what I did today. I executed my game plan and when I got into trouble, I managed to get out of it without dropping a shot and made some birdies," said Scott, who is searching for his first win of the season.

The last time Scott duelled Els head-to-head was at the 2004 Heineken Classic at Royal Melbourne, with the South African "Big Easy" winning by one stroke. "That will be great. Ernie is also playing solid out there and tomorrow will be a real test, not going head to head but playing with him at least with a few shots ahead of the field," said the 26-year-old Scott.

"We had a good one at Royal Melbourne when he started the final day eight shots in front. We stood at the 10th tee and it was all square and he ended up birdieing the last to win by a shot."

Els, a three-time Major winner, was one of the very few who welcomed the weather break due to a lightning storm as he was not feeling 100 per cent. "It was a tough day for everybody. I had to be patient, which I was, so I have got to be very happy with a 69.

"The break helped me. I don’t feel too great. The doctor actually gave me an injection. It really helped me a lot. I don’t like breaks too often but today it really saved me. I had some Chinese food last night and it did not work too well with me. If I felt the same as what I did at 1.30 this morning I would not have played," said Els.

Like Scott, Els is also looking for his first victory of the year but conceded that the young Aussie would give him a good run for the money following Scott's impressive seven-stroke victory at Sentosa last year.

"Adam’s playing great and has had a great round and obviously the other guys at four under have a chance. I just need to play a decent round of golf tomorrow and we will see what happens," said Els.

The 28-year-old Liang extended his good run of form where he has posted four top-fives in his last five tournaments in Japan. Liang fired four birdies in his opening seven holes before losing his momentum after the suspension.

"It's been three good days so far. I got off to a good start. I drove the ball nicely and putted well to go to four under. But after the break (where he was at the 10th), I kind of lost my momentum and couldn't make a further move up the leaderboard. I just couldn't get the feeling going again," said Liang.

Liang is dreaming of emulating compatriot Zhang Lian-wei, who memorably toppled Els by one stroke to win the 2003 Singapore Masters. "I'm feeling good and hopefully I can challenge for the title. I've been playing well in Japan and I feel I have more experience.

"Playing against the top players like Ernie or Adam does not intimidate me. Last month, I played with Davis Love and Bernhard Langer at the International (on the US PGA Tour), so it's okay and I’m used to it," he said.

India's Kapur battled gamely with two birdies against three bogeys and rued a missed birdie putt at the last, which would have taken him closer to the leaders. "I did not get anything going but hung in there pretty much. If I made the putt at the last it would have turned a good round into a great round," said Kapur, last season's Volvo Masters of Asia winner.

"With the US Open-style rough and the pins in the positions they were today 72 was a good score. You cannot force anything on this course. Tomorrow I will try and put myself into position and see what happens. I am up against two of the best players in the world so I guess I will have to go pretty low (if I am going to win)."

Thailand's Prom Meesawat (70) and American Anthony Kang (71) share sixth place on 212 while England's Lee Westwood, who will feature in the Ryder Cup for Europe in two weeks time, carded a 71 for tied eighth position on 213 with Argentine Angel Cabrera, India's Jyoti Randhawa and Singapore-based Australian Unho Park.

Australia's Scott Strange, who led at the halfway stage with Els, succumbed to his sore back and settled for a 78, dropping to tied 12th place.

Leading third round scores
205 - Adam Scott (AUS) 70-69-66, Ernie Els (RSA) 71-65-69
208 - Brad Kennedy (AUS) 71-67-70
209 - Liang Wen-chong (CHN) 73-68-68
211 - Shiv Kapur (IND) 70-69-72
212 - Prom Meesawat (THA) 72-70-70, Anthony Kang (USA) 70-71-71
213 - Lee Westwood (ENG) 73-69-71, Unho Park (AUS) 72-69-72, Jyoti Randhawa (IND) 68-73-72, Angel Cabrera (ARG) 69-68-76
214 - Mardan Mamat (SIN) 72-69-73, Shingo Katayama (JPN) 69-69-76, Scott Strange (AUS) 67-69-78
215 - Rashid Ismail (MAS) 71-74-70, Yasin Ali (ENG) 74-70-71, Lee Sung (KOR) 72-71-72, Charl Schwartzel (RSA) 70-72-73
216 - Lin Keng-chi (TPE) 71-73-72, S.S.P. Chowrasia (IND) 72-71-73, Adam Blyth (AUS) 72-70-74, Edward Loar (USA) 73-68-75, Nick O'Hern (AUS) 69-72-75, Arjun Singh (IND) 74-67-75
217 - Jason Knutzon (USA) 74-73-70, Jeev Milkha Singh (IND) 71-76-70, Gaurav Ghei (IND) 74-71-72, Yeh Chang-ting (TPE) 73-71-73, Juvic Pagunsan (PHI) 67-76-74, Chan Song (KOR) 73-67-77
218 - Frankie Minoza (PHI) 73-73-72, Chris Rodgers (ENG) 74-70-74, Lam Chih Bing (SIN) 73-70-75, Tim Clark (RSA) 73-69-76

September 9, 2006

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