Volvo China Open
Sunisland International Club
Shanghia, China
16th - 19th April 1998

Third Round Report

Third Round Scores
Second Round Report
Second Round Scores
First Round Report
First Round Scores

Meek earns lead with birdie on 18

Shanghai, China 18th April 1998 - A daring birdie on the last hole gave American Aaron Meeks the third-round lead in the U.S. $400,000 Volvo China Open at Sunisland International Club in Shanghai.

The 31-year-old Californian returned a five-under-par 67 after firing a three-wood second shot 227 yards across water on the 530-yard par-five 18th to 20 feet from the pin. The brilliant finish enabled Meeks, who is in search of his first win on the Omega Tour, to end the third round on 14-under-par 202.

He leads by one from South African Nico Van Rensburg, who broke the course record with an eight-under-par 64, and England's Ed Fryatt who carded a 69.

"It was the perfect length for me and I hit it just perfect," said Meeks of his three wood. "I wouldn't normally have played such a shot, but the distance was ideal for me." Meeks had trailed third-round leader and playing partner Fryatt for most of the day before slipping ahead after Fryatt bogeyed 17 and failed to birdie the last.

"I was drafting Ed all the way round and then jumped out at the end," added Meeks, who had started his round with a double-bogey on the second.

"I have always found third rounds difficult, so I am happy to finish just one behind," said 27-year-old Fryatt. "It was disappointing to bogey the par three 17th, where I went over the green, and not make a four on the last from 10 feet. I think the tournament is still wide open -- a lot of players have a chance."

Van Rensburg, arguably the longest hitter in the tournament, powered his way up the leaderboard by birdieing all four par fives -- a feat he also achieved on the first day.

"I hit it 320-yards a couple of times off the tee today," said Van Rensburg. "This course is certainly made for me. Like all tournaments, though, it will come down to putting. My only strategy on the final day will be to go out and shoot 65 and finish 20-under for the tournament," added the 31-year-old.

"I am hitting the ball very well and am feeling very confident. Even on the 18th, where I saw my playing partner Justin Cooper hit into the water with his second, I pulled out my two iron and just pulled the trigger," said the South African. His 2-iron cleared the lake and found a greenside bunker from where he got up and down to make birdie on the last for the third day in-a-row.

American Gerry Norquist and Japan's Takeshi Ohyama lie at 11-under for the tournament after scoring rounds of 68 and 71 respectively.

The Volvo China Open is a joint-sanctioned event with the China PGA Tour.