Hansen & Lile lead into final round

Denmark's Anders Hansen and local player Craig Lile defied strong winds to move into a share of the third-round lead in the South African Open at Erinvale Golf Club on Saturday.

Hansen, who won the Volvo Masters in 2002 before losing interest in the game, fired a four-under 68 while Lile, one of three overnight leaders, bounced back from an opening bogey to card a 70.

The pair finished at nine-under 207, a stroke ahead of Britain's Stephen Webster, who returned a five-under 67.

Defending champion Trevor Immelman of South Africa, after a 69, and Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin, a 70, were a further shot back in a tie for fourth at seven under.

Seven-times European number one Colin Montgomerie rallied from his second-round 78 with a three-under-par 69, but will start Sunday's final round eight shots off the pace.

At one point on Saturday, six golfers were within a stroke of the lead but the difficult par-five 16th and par-four 17th, both played directly into the teeth of the wind, yielded a host of dropped shots.

Immelman bogeyed both holes, Lile dropped at the 16th and Webster and Jacquelin also ran up bogey-fives at the 17th.

Hansen, playing his first tournament this week in three months, was delighted with his score.

"It's hard for me to realise that I am leading the tournament," said the Dane. "I haven't played golf in two months so coming out here I was really only hoping to make the cut.

"Last year was very tough and, to be honest, I was a bit fed up -- very fed up in fact, so I decided to take some time off and just do physical training. I wasn't enjoying playing golf anymore, might interest had just disappeared."

However Immelman, the defending champion, was hugely disappointed with his finish after lying at 10 under with just three holes to play.

He bogeyed 16, after very nearly driving out of bounds on the right, dropped at 17 after hitting a poor second and then bogeyed the last finding a fairway bunker from the tee.

"I felt like I hit a great shot into 16 but it must have caught a gust of wind or something and I was plugged and had no chance," Immelman said.

"I still haven't made my mind up about what I did on 17, so that was a mistake, and on 18 I pulled my tee shot for a forced five.

"I'm behind again so I'm just going to have to hang in there tomorrow."

Immelman claimed his maiden European Tour victory here in 2003, coming from three shots behind in the final round.

Overnight leaders Alastair Forsyth and Nico van Rensburg both slipped down the leaderboard in Saturday's third round, Forsyth carding a 74 and van Rensburg a 75.

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