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Poulter continues excellent form

England's Ian Poulter carded a four-under 69 to extend his lead after Saturday's third round of the Moroccan Open. The reigning European Tour Rookie of the Year has a three-day total of 12-under-par 207 and a four-shot advantage over fellow Briton Gary Evans, Sweden's Robert Karlsson and Frenchman Thomas Levet.

Evans tied the course record at Dar-es-Salam with a seven-under 66 Saturday to move to eight-under 211. Karlsson and Levet each shot 70s for their share of second place heading into the final round.

Australian Peter Lonard, who stands five shots off the pace with five others, also matched the record of 66, which was established by Howard Clark in the inaugural Moroccan Open in 1987.

Lonard was even for the tournament when he aced the 189-yard ninth hole with a five-iron. The hole-in-one seemed to jump start his round, as Lonard went on to post a five-under 32 on the back nine that included four birdies over the final five holes.

Poulter, who finished joint second with Levet in this event last year, increased his two-shot lead from the start of the day with five birdies over the first 12 holes. He registered his first bogey in 36 holes after his tee shot at the 16th found the trees right of the fairway, then saved par from six feet at the 17th before missing an eight-footer for birdie at the final hole.

"I didn't do too much wrong," said Poulter, who notched his breakthrough victory at the 2000 Italian Open. "I had great chances on all the front nine. Shot three-under but could have been more. Back nine was good as well -- maybe a bit shaky at the end. Just a shame I couldn't birdie the last."

The 25-year-old is on track for his second European Tour title despite suffering from tonsilitis this week.

"If I play the way I played today things should be fine," he said. "All the other guys are going to be chasing hard and I'm sure they are going to shoot a good score which means I've got to shoot a good one as well. It's there to win."

Evans, tied for 30th at the beginning of round three, collected four birdies and a bogey before the turn and made his way home with birdies at 14, 15, 17 and 18. His irons proved to be the strength of his game Saturday, as seven of his eight birdies were holed from inside eight feet.

Karlsson rebounded from an early bogey by making five birdies over a nine-hole stretch from the sixth to the 14th. Although he stumbled with bogeys at 16 and 17, Karlsson recovered a stroke by birdieing the 18th.

Levet made it to 10-under par with three birdies and an eagle through 11 holes only to drop back into the second-place logjam with two bogeys down the stretch.

"Ian is playing very well," said Levet, the winner of the 1998 Cannes Open. "He is a solid leader and it is going to be tough to pass him but this is golf. Anything can happen. There are lots of guys on seven- and eight-under who can shoot 66 and catch him."

Also at seven-under 212 are Sam Walker, Peter Hanson, David Lynn, Federico Bisazza and first-round leader Paul McGinley.

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