Leaney pulls three shots clear

Australian Stephen Leaney may have to defy Lee Westwood again if he is to earn his third European Tour title and second Dutch Open.

Leaney's glittering eight-birdie 65 took him to a 15-under-par total of 201 in Saturday's third round, three ahead of compatriot Stephen Allan, who shot 69.

But defending champion Westwood could provide the greatest threat to Leaney on Sunday as be bids to hit top place on Europe's order of merit.

The Briton fired an eight-birdie 66 for 205 and goes in search of his fourth win of the year in Sunday's final round.

Westwood shares third place with veteran Bernhard Langer and Monaco-based Swede Mathias Gronberg.

While Leaney beat Westwood with only a two-stroke advantage to take the 1998 title in Hilversum, the Englishman recovered five strokes last year -- also at Hilversum -- to steal the crown, cruising home with a closing 63.

I'm conscious of Westwood but I went head to head with him at Hilversum when I was two in front and beat him, so he can be defeated, said Leaney after another confident display. His bogey on the fourth was his only dropped shot of the week.

This course, though, is much like Hilversum, in that you can't really have a big enough lead because the course can be taken apart.

As in 1998 I'm going to have to go out there and break 70 to have a chance to win because there aren't too many long holes.

There are a lot of birdie chances and I have to go out and play the way I've been playing.

My only bogey didn't upset me, in fact it settled me down because I'd been thinking too much about not dropping shots.

And I'm calm again on the course like I was in 1998. I got too much ahead of myself in 1999 and expected too much.

Westwood's putting could hold him back, even though his general game is strong.

I can't remember when I've hit so many shots to two or three feet in a week, said Westwood. My game tee-to-green has been as good as it gets.

But some weeks you just don't see the lines as well as other weeks and you don't hole out as well. It's been one of those weeks so far.

My caddy told me that I've missed nine chances inside five or six feet and I missed six good chances in a row on the first day alone.

But I'll go out and play aggressively as usual, that's just the way I play. I was five behind last year, so it doesn't matter what position I'm in.

Langer, 43 next month, could also pose a threat after demonstrating his return to form at the British Open last week. He last won the Dutch Open in 1992.

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