Nicolas Colsaerts takes over lead with 67

Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts can regain his full European Tour card in one fell swoop if he can hold on to the lead he built in Saturday's Johnnie Walker Championship third round.

The 22-year-old from Brussels, one of the youngest players to join the tour, shot a five-under-par 67 to move to eight-under-par 208.

That gave him a two-shot lead over Italy's Emanuele Canonica (69) and Briton Richard Bland (68), both of whom are, like Colsaerts, looking for their first full tour victories.

Colsaerts has bounced on and off the tour since first gaining his card at the 2000 qualifying school, which he began just three days after turning professional on his 18th birthday.

Now, with a $410,500 first prize, almost six times his biggest purse for his best result of tied fifth in the 2003 Lancome Trophy, Colsaerts can earn a two-year exemption and move back full-time to the main tour, instead of playing the occasional event.

"I've never led going into a full tour event final round before," said Colsaerts after collecting six birdies that put him on top.

"It's been a hard journey so far for me and Sunday will be a big day. It wasn't easy turning professional at 18 and being the only Belgian on tour is a hard job.

"I've learned a lot, though. Today I stayed patient instead of going for everything, not one of my strongest points normally."

Canonica has the better record of Colsaert's two nearest challengers, having finished second twice on full tour, in the prestigious European Players Championship of 2000 and the 2002 Spanish Open.

Bland lost in a playoff for the 2002 Irish Open title to Dane Soren Hansen.

Britain's Bradley Dredge (69) lies three strokes behind Colsaerts with Irishman Damien McGrane (69).

Another Briton, Jamie Donaldson, became the eighth casualty of the week when he was disqualified for signing for a par on the eighth when he had made bogey.

In a week of mishaps, six players have withdrawn through injury or illness, including Colin Montgomerie, and now there have been two disqualifications.

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