| Ware,
Hertfordshire, 6th June 1998 - Lee
Westwood finished with three birdies on the final four holes today to take a one-stroke
lead in the National Car Rental English Open over Australian Greg Chalmers, who
shot an 11-under-par 61 in the third round. Chalmers,
a 24-year-old left-hander, broke the course-record and had a chance for a 59,
which would have been a record for the PGA European Tour. Westwood
finished with a 67 in his bid to win his second straight PGA European Tour event.
He took last week's Deutsche Bank - SAP Open TPC of
Europe in Hamburg, Germany. Westwood
is at 13-under 203 on the par-72 Marriott Hanbury Manor course. Colin
Montgomerie had a 69 to fall two shots off the pace, joined by Stephen Leaney
of Australia (70) and Patrik Sjoland of Sweden (70). Chalmers
still found a place in the PGA European Tour record book. His
28 on the front nine was one short of tying the European Tour record of 27 for
nine holes, which is held by several players. But his 61 was technically the third-best
round ever shot on the the PGA European Tour. There have been eight rounds of
60, but only two of them -- by Jamie Spence in Switzerland in 1992 and Bernhard
Langer in Germany last year -- were on par-72 courses. "I
thought about a 59 from the moment I chipped in for eagle on the ninth,'' said
Chalmers, had had four birdies and two eagles on the front nine. "But
I'll take 61. It's fantastic.'' Chalmers,
after making the turn in 28, birdied the 10th, 12th and 14th and needed two more
birdies on the final four holes to reach 59. He
had pars on 15 and 16. On the par-5 17th, he hit missed a 4-foot birdie putt.
On the 18th his only hope of 59 was dropping a 100-yard wedge shot for eagle.
The shot was well wide and he settled for par.
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