BRUNEI OPEN RELATED STORIES Brunei Open home page Brunei Open Preview Round 1: Lin in 5-way tie atop the leaderboard Round 2: Refreshed Le Vesconte takes 3 shot lead Round 3: Birdie burst leaves Le Vesconte 4 ahead Round 4: Lin claims second win with stunning 65 Final Scores & Prize Money More about the Course Zhang wants to celebrate his century in style Chia aims to make up for early 2006 Brunei exit 2006: Wang takes Brunei title in a playoff Hend fit and ready to crown his rookie year Liang looking for second title in Brunei Wang will return to defend Brunei title Third Brunei Open teed up for August Details of the Empire Hotel & CC Golf in Brunei feature ASIAN GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Bae clinches home win Tanihara takes Panasonic title Su Dong's lead cut to two Hole-in-One Jeev shares the lead Korea, Philippines, Italy for World Cup Lu wins record 4th Taiwan Masters Aussie PGA rethinks 'One Asia' GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Fred Couples to enlist some unusual help Paula Creamer seeking another home town win Jay Haas on brink of another senior money title Justin Leonard looking to break Texas Open record Father & Son event sign up with Sky Sports

Birdie burst leaves Le Vesconte four ahead

Australian Adam Le Vesconte enjoyed a blistering finish to stretch his overnight lead to four shots at the US$300,000 Brunei Open on Saturday.

Le Vesconte, bidding for his second Asian Tour title, birdied two of his last three holes en route to a three-under-par 68 at the Empire Hotel and Country Club to lead from Chinese Taipei’s Lu Wen-teh and the in-form Tony Lascuna of the Philippines, who both fired matching 66s.

Lin Wen-tang, also from Chinese Taipei, is fourth, six off the lead after battling to a 71 while compatriot and title holder Wang Ter-chang also carded a 71 to lie nine back.

On a sun-kissed day, Le Vesconte, who led by three at the halfway stage after shooting a pair of 65s, parred his opening 10 holes before finally nailing his first birdie on the 11th. With the chasing pack closing in on him, he drained a crucial 25-foot birdie putt at the par three 16th before rolling in another eight footer on the last for a comfortable lead.

“It wasn’t quite solid as in the first two days as I didn’t make many putts. I hit a few wayward shots but got away with some up and downs for pars a couple of times. I also shot even par on the front nine on Thursday and shot six birdies on the back, so I knew there were birdies out there,” said Le Vesconte, who holds a three-day total of 15-under-par 198.

“The putt on 11 kicked the momentum along and I birdied 16 and 18 as well. On 16, it just dribbled in at the front door which was nice and I hit a lovely shot into the last.”

It will be the second week in succession that the Aussie will play in the final group. At the Iskandar Johor Open in Malaysia, he faded on the last day to finish tied 10th but Le Vesconte will be eager to set the record right by adding to his lone triumph at the 2005 Philippine Open.

“You can never be too comfortable. Four shots is a nice little buffer. Hopefully I can go out there and do the same as I did today and hope that it’s enough. I just need to stick to my game plan,” said Le Vesconte.

“I certainly learned from last week. It’s always good playing in the last group. You get that uncomfortable feeling, you feel the nerves but you work with that to your advantage. Last week will help for tomorrow for sure.”

Veteran Lu, a three-time winner on the Asian Tour, charged up the leaderboard with five birdies over his opening six holes and was six under through 11 before the birdies dried up.

“I played really well. It is a pity I didn’t get many birdies on the back nine. My shots into the 17th and 18th holes were a little disappointing as I dropped a bogey and made par. It hurt my chances,” said Lu, this year’s Macau Open champion.

“I was feeling very confident when I teed off this morning. I’ll try my best and continue with the way I’ve been playing over the last three days. I hope to maintain my form and hopefully lift the trophy.”

Lascuna shot a flawless round which included five birdies as he gave himself another crack at earning his maiden title on the Asian Tour, a week after finishing runner-up in Malaysia.

After turning in two under, the unflappable Filipino chipped in for birdie on 10, and birdied both the par three holes on the inward nine from 20 and five feet respectively. “My concentration was good and I drove the ball solidly again. I’m enjoying my golf and that’s what I plan to do tomorrow. I feel comfortable on this course as my home course, Manila Southwoods, is also a Jack Nicklaus design,” said Lascuna.

“I don’t want to starting thinking of winning. All I want to do is to earn my Asian Tour card by remaining inside the top-60 of the UBS Order of Merit.”

Michael Wright of Australia is fifth on 205 while compatriots Gavin Flint and Scott Barr share sixth place, a further stroke back.

Leading third round scores (click here for full leaderboard):

198 - Adam Le Vesconte (AUS) 65-65-68

202 - Tony Lascuna (PHI) 70-66-66, Lu Wen-teh (TPE) 66-70-66

204 - Lin Wen-tang (TPE) 65-68-71

205 - Michael Wright (AUS) 68-67-70

206 - Gavin Flint (AUS) 72-68-66, Scott Barr (AUS) 71-68-67

207 - Scott Hend (AUS) 65-74-68, Panuwat Muenlek (THA) 67-70-70, Wang Ter-chang (TPE) 70-66-71, Gary Rusnak (USA) 67-68-72, Neven Basic (AUS) 66-68-73

208 - Jochen Lupprian (GER) 71-69-68, Ashley Hall (AUS) 69-71-68, Taichiro Kiyota (JPN) 68-71-69, Martin Rominger (SUI) 68-70-70, Mark Brown (NZL) 65-73-70, David Gleeson (AUS) 72-64-72

209 - Edward Michaels (USA) 68-74-67, Han Lee (USA) 69-72-68, Lee Sung (KOR) 72-68-69, Jason Knutzon (USA) 72-68-69, Yeh Chang-ting (TPE) 69-70-70, Roy Moon (USA) 70-68-71, Ahmad Bateman (CAN) 70-66-73

September 1, 2007