| Knokke
Le Zoute, Belgium, 3rd October 1998 -
Lee Westwood stayed in the hunt to be Europe's top golfer this season with
a 4-under-par 67 in Saturday's third round of the Belgacom Open. A
9-foot birdie at the 18th left him just a shot behind joint leaders Fredrik Jacobson
of Sweden and New Zealander Greg Turner. A
purse of £66,660 will leave the Englishman only £45,266 behind Volvo Ranking Order
of Merit leader Colin Montgomerie with just one event to go. Montgomerie
is not playing this week. Turner,
who shot a 67, and Jacobson, round in 69, also have plenty to spur them to victory.
Turner is vying
for a place among the qualifiers for Peter Thomson's international team to play
the United States in the President's Cup in December while Jacobson needs at least
fifth place to earn his tour card for next year. After
completing his second round of the week without a bogey for a 201 total, the experienced
Turner said: "I'm being consistent and not making mistakes... the putting
was great today. "If
I do win then it should move me up from 16th on the international team qualifiers
with just one event to go at the Volvo Masters. "It
might not take me into a top 10 qualifying spot but I'd hope that Peter would
be bearing me in mind for a wild card if I don't quite make it, especially if
I have a good Dunhill Cup next week." Westwood
again maintained he was "playing the best I've ever done in my career tee-to-green"
but felt he had got nothing from the Royal Zoute course. "I
found two divots today with my drives and they cost me two shots. I hope I'll
start getting the breaks in the final round. "One
shot off the lead makes me fairly confident of winning, though." Nick Faldo
slumped eight shots off the pace after a 72, humbled by his playing-partner and
fellow Englishman Anthony Wall. The inexperienced Wall, who only secured his card
two weeks ago, is in the group three off the lead on 204 after shooting a 67.
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