Taichiro Kiyota takes over lead with a 67 - Johnnie Walker Classic 2008

Japanese Taichiro Kiyota birdied the final hole to shoot a five-under par 67 and take a one-shot lead in the Johnnie Walker Classic third round on Saturday.

The 27-year-old, overnight tied for third, edged to 14-under par 202, leaving New Zealander Mark Brown, who produced the day’s best of 64, tied second with India’s Jyoti Randhawa (68).

England’s Phillip Archer (69) and Graeme Storm (69) and Australian Greg Chalmers (68) were tied fourth a further two shots behind on 205 at the DLF Golf and Country Club.

Fiji’s Vijay Singh kept in touch with the leaders after carding a 69 to be tied 10th, five shots off the lead.

However, the hopes of Australian world number five Adam Scott took a bad knock after a two-over 74 saw dropped him to a tied 33rd place, eight shots off the pace.

“Tonight will be a sleepless night,” a beaming Kiyota told reporters through an interpreter. “I’m very excited.”

Kiyota, whose best efforts have been a tied third finish at last year’s Bangkok Open Asian Tour event and seventh at the season-ending Volvo Masters of Asia, played solid.

He produced an eagle three on the sixth and sank two more birdies on the front nine before adding two more birdies in the final three holes.

Kiyota was tied for the lead with playing partner Randhawa and Brown, who won last week’s SAIL Open Asian Tour event for his maiden international success, until the final hole.

Randhawa, a former Asian Tour money list winner bidding for his first European Tour win, and Kiyota both sent their second shots beyond the final green.

The Indian saved par after his chip ran past the pin while Kiyota perfectly recovered to sink a five-foot birdie putt.

“It was just a miracle,” Kiyota said. “Tomorrow, I would like to play my golf irrespective of the pressure.”

Brown’s sensational round early in the day included two eagle threes and seven birdies with only two bogeys on the front nine stopping him one stroke short of the course record of 63.

The Kiwi drained an almost 50-foot putt to eagle the ninth and signed off with another on the tricky 18th, where he hit a seven-iron shot to within 12 feet of the pin.

Seasoned Indian golfer Gaurav Ghei suffered heartbreak when he was disqualified for signing a wrong score in the second round. He was informed only after he shot a seven-under 65 on Saturday to lie one stroke off the lead.

Chief referee John Paramor said Ghei illegally moved the ball at the final hole on Friday which neither the player nor marshals noticed and was spotted by a European Tour official on television.

By the time the video footage was reviewed, Ghei had already started his third round. He would have escaped with a maximum two-shot penalty if the infringement had been discovered before he signed in his card on Friday.

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