Golding on course for maiden victory

Philip Golding will hope for 'deja-vu' at Le National on Sunday as he aims to become the second successive 40-year-old Englishman to win the French Open and end a 20-year wait for a European title in doing so.

Golding's third round four-under-par 68 took him to 12-under-par 204 for a one-stroke lead and in with a chance of emulating Malcolm Mackenzie's feat of last year when he broke a 20-year drought to win his maiden title.

Overnight leader Thomas Bjorn came back from a faltering start to share in a five-way tie for second place but the Dane denied himself the shared lead for a second day by missing a closing hole birdie putt of four feet.

With Bjorn are Australian Peter O'Malley, Swedish Ryder Cup player Pierre Fulke, and two more Britons, Barry Lane and David Howell.

On a congested leaderboard, with Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin and Britain's Stephen Gallacher a further stroke back, Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal is in a group only three shots off the pace, looking for his second French Open win in three years.

Only three strokes separates the top 11 players.

Leader Golding, as he has for all his 20 years of trying to be a winner, had to dig deep to top the leaderboard for a second time in the week -- he shared the first round lead -- holing several crucial putts for pars as well as birdies.

He needed a marshal to find his ball on the ninth after a wayward drive but salvaged no worse than bogey after taking penalty-drop, but his most determined shot was his last, a birdie putt of eight feet to claim the lead.

The man who has visited tour qualifying school a record 16 times in his 20 years of trying to establish himself on the European Tour, on which his highest money-list finish was when he narrowly lost a card last year in 119th place, is now ready to fulfil a dream.

"Malcolm showed last year it can be done, even when you've been trying for so long," said Golding.

"It would be a dream come true because it's been a long battle.

"Everyone knows I've been to school a record 16 times and it's not really a record you want to have, although some guys don't even get that far.

"I just now have to break it down from taking it one hole at a time to one shot at a time in the final round and not get ahead of myself, enjoy it whatever happens."

As Bjorn faltered, O'Malley came out of the blocks to go out in six-under-par.

When he faded with two closing three-putts for a 66, Fulke and Lane caught the Australian with 67s.

Howell missed a putt inside his playing-partner Golding's for a share of the lead and then Bjorn, who had battled back from going out two-over, missed his much shorter effort.

Anders Hansen, just a stroke behind compatriot Bjorn overnight, slumped to a 75 and lies seven strokes off the pace.

Email this page to a friend | Return to top of page