| Madeira,
Portugal, 20th June 1998 - New
Zealander Stephen Scahill birdied the final two holes to shake off a challenge
by Mats Lanner of Sweden on Saturday to take a two-shot lead into the final round
of the Madeira Island Open. Lanner,
the 1994 champion, briefly caught overnight leader Scahill, but then watched his
playing partner regain and extend his lead at the 17th and 18th holes. Scahill,
28, bogeyed the 16th and watched Lanner birdie to throw the pair into a tie before
the New Zealander went on to sign for a three-under-par 69, for a 14-under total
of 202. Lanner's
68 took him to 204 and second place, two better than Englishman Andrew Beal, who
shot 67. Best
round of the day, though, came from Sweden's Fredrik Jacobson. Last year's runner-up
behind Briton Peter Mitchell, carded a 65 for 207 to move into fourth place.
Scahill, who
had stormed to the top with a second-round 61 to lead by three strokes, looked
well in charge until playing the last few holes, having picked up three birdies
around the turn. But
then the New Zealander began to feel the pressure of leading. "I
hit a few shaky shots coming home," he said, "but the good thing was
that I was in a good frame of mind for them. "I'd
known they would come along eventually because I haven't been in this position
so far on, but I just accepted them and got on with it. That helped me make my
birdies at the end." Lanner
put himself in contention again after two years off the main tour, playing European
Challenge Tour events, by mixing in seven birdies with only three bogeys. "A
win would have double meaning for me," said the 37-year-old Gothenburg pro
who also won the 1987 Epson Grand Prix. "That's
to get a good cheque again and get back on to the European Tour with a two-year
exemption. I'm the one with the experience and I hope I can make it work."
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