2006 GS Caltex Maekyung Open - Round 3: Battling Lee clings to two shot lead

Korea's Lee Sung battled courageously to retain his overnight two-shot lead after a three-under-par 69 in the third round of the US$600,000 GS Caltex Maekyung Open on Saturday.

The 26-year-old, who was born deaf, has a three-day total of 14-under-par 202 as he held off the chasing pack led by compatriot Suk Jong-ryul, who signed for a 68 for second place at Lakeside Country Club.

US PGA Tour's rising star JB Holmes, playing on a sponsor's invite this week, charged into contention with a blistering 63 for a 205 total alongside fellow American Bryan Saltus, who returned a 68.

Two-time Korean Open champion Kim Dae-sub also fired a 68 for fifth spot, four off the pace while talented Australian Jarrod Lyle produced the day's second lowest round with a flawless 64 to share sixth place with local player, Kim Sang-ki. Malaysia's Iain Steel and India's Amandeep Johl are amongst those a further stroke back on 208 after rounds of 68 and 70 respectively.

Lee, who has led from the opening round, will fancy his chances of a maiden Asian Tour triumph after maintaining his two-shot advantage. He turned in 35 with two birdies against a dropped shot on the fourth and then birdied both the par fives on his homeward stretch.

A second bogey of the day on the par three15th saw him slip up momentarily but the Korean birdied the 17th for some breathing space at the top of the leaderboard. Lee, who communicates by lip-reading with his father Kang-kung said: "I'm happy. My heart feels strong and it was good to be three under today. I am glad to have held it together and I'm hanging in there."

Suk, 38, scrambled throughout the day and got away with some scrappy shots, including a duffed approach on the sixth. "I'm happy to be this close to the lead. I hit some good shots and some bad shots out there. I topped one on the sixth hole but then again, I made a 40-foot putt for birdie at the last which was very nice."

Holmes has enjoyed a tremendous rookie season in the US with a maiden victory at the FBR Open. Currently ranked the second longest driver in America, the 24-year-old took full advantage of his prodigious length and birdied three of the par fives and eagled another today.

At the par four 18th which measures 410 yards, Holmes hammered a drive into the greenside bunker and got up and down for a closing birdie, much to the delight of the Korean spectators. "I got off to a solid start with a wedge to six feet for birdie and holed another eight footer on the second. I was hitting my irons really close and getting on all the par fives in two. I made some good 10-footers and every time I did that, I would get a birdie. It was a really solid round with no mistakes," said Holmes.

"The par fives are definitely the key. I'm just hitting mid-irons into the greens which are playing beautifully. I putted terribly for the first two days with 32 and 31 putts but I know now where to leave the ball on the green."

Lyle put on a stellar performance to launch himself into the title frame with an eight-birdie round. The burly Aussie, who survived leukaemia seven years ago, is enjoying some good form after qualifying for his maiden British Open earlier this month. "I putted the lights out. My Korean caddie was great, she was reading the lines perfectly and the flags were not too hard to get close to," said Lyle.

A further stroke back was Malaysian Steel, who won a BMW car on Thursday after sinking a hole in one. He nearly produced another ace in the third round when his four iron on the seventh hole landed nine inches of the pin. That outstanding effort and two other closing birdies helped him to a 68 and a three-day total of 208.

"I eliminated the mistakes. I had nine bogeys in the first two rounds and only one today. I came really close to another hole in one by nine inches," said Steel.

Former Maekyung Open champion Chung Joon of Korea was also tied eight after a 69 while title holder Choi Sang-ho, who became the oldest winner at 50 years after last year's triumph, shot a 70 for equal 32nd place.

Leading third round scores

202 - Lee Sung (KOR) 67-66-69

204 - Suk Jong-ryul (KOR) 67-69-68

205 - J B Holmes (USA) 71-71-63, Bryan Saltus (USA) 69-68-68

206 - Kim Dae-sub (KOR) 68-70-68

207 - Jarrod Lyle (AUS) 71-72-64, Kim Sang-ki (KOR) 70-65-72

208 - Iain Steel (MAS) 70-70-68, Chung Joon (KOR) 69-70-69, Noh Seung-yul [A] (KOR) 69-69-70, Amandeep Johl (IND) 69-69-70, Hong Soon-sang (KOR) 70-68-70

209 - Scott Hend (AUS) 70-72-67, Park Boo-won (KOR) 70-71-68, Charlie Wi (KOR) 69-70-70, Shin Yong-jin (KOR) 70-68-71, Lee Seong-ho (KOR) 68-68-73

210 - Edward Loar (USA) 72-68-70

211 - Gaurav Ghei (IND) 72-70-69, Park Sang-eon (KOR) 75-68-68, Kwon Myung-ho (KOR) 70-70-71

212 - Lee In-woo (KOR) 67-75-70, Park Do-kyu (KOR) 73-69-70, Scott Barr (AUS) 68-73-71, Kang Wook-soon (KOR) 73-69-70, Ari Savolainen (FIN) 70-71-71, Choi Jin-ho (KOR) 71-70-71, Kim Chang-yoon (KOR) 71-70-71, Gary Simpson (AUS) 72-69-71, Eric Chun [A] (KOR) 69-71-72, Han Young-keun (KOR) 73-65-74

April 29, 2006

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