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Clarke storms to top of Asian Open leaderboard

Taiwan’s Lin Wen-tang watches his tee shot at the second hole during the third round of the Asian Open at the Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club in Shanghai, China, yesterday. PHOTO: AP

Ryder Cup stalwart Darren Clarke stormed to the top of the leaderboard with a five-under 67 on day three of the BMW Asian Open yesterday, setting himself up for a potentially emotional victory.

A birdie on the 18th moved the Northern Irishman to nine-under going into the final day of the US$2.3 million tournament, one shot clear of joint second-round leader Robert-Jan Derksen of the Netherlands.

England’s q Dinwiddie, a 26-year-old rookie on the European Tour, shot a 66 for the lowest round of the tournament and outright third place at seven-under.

Taiwan’s Lin Wen-tang was the best placed of the Asian contingent after carding a 69 to put himself in fourth position at five-under.

Exciting Chinese amateur Hu Mu, who is just 18 years old, shot a 71 and was in a pack of four players in fifth place, six strokes behind Clarke.

For Clarke, a victory today would be his first title since his wife, Heather, died of cancer in August 2006.

The 39-year-old, a mainstay in Europe’s Ryder Cup team since 1997, suffered a form slump following his wife’s death and is currently ranked No. 236 in the world.

“I’m really looking forward to it. It’s been a while since I have been very close to the lead,” said Clarke, whose last tournament win came in Japan in 2005. “I just hope I can keep doing what I am doing.”

Clarke fired three birdies on the back nine to give himself the outright lead going into the final round of the Open, which is co-sanctioned by the European and Asian tours.

However, Clarke said he could have gone even lower yesterday, pointing to two short missed birdie putts on par fives.

“I would have liked to have shot a lot better. I gave myself enough opportunities, but I am not going to complain ... I will settle for a 67,” he said.

Chinese fans began the day with huge hopes of one of their countrymen winning the Asian Open for the first time, after Zhang Lianwei shared the overnight lead with Dutchman Derksen at five-under.

Along with Hu, and last year’s Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Liang Wenchong, China had three players in the top 10 after the second round.

However Zhang, who at 42 is becoming the elder statesman of Chinese golf after long blazing a trail for his younger compatriots, fell away badly yesterday with a four-over 76 to be placed at one under.

Liang had an unspectacular round, carding a 73 to also go into today at one-under.

That left Hu, who is based in the US and is coached by famed swing guru David Leadbetter, as the best placed of the Chinese.

Hu said he was extremely nervous as he stood on the first tee yesterday, after shooting a three-under round on Friday that set the tournament abuzz.

“I didn’t know what to think or do before the round. I didn’t know what was going to happen ... I just wanted to get the first tee shot over with and once I was out there I was fine,” he said.

Also sitting alongside Hu at three-under is India’s Digvijay Singh, who shot a 67 yesterday, and first-round leader Peter O’Malley of Australia, who went round the Tomson Pudong Shanghai Golf Course in even par.

Derksen, who mixed two bogeys with five birdies for a 69 yesterday, will be looking to win his third European Tour title. The 34-year-old’s last victory came at the 2005 Madeira Island Open.

Two-time US Open winner Retief Goosen of South Africa shot a 72 yesterday to leave himself seven shots behind Clarke.



Also see: Adam Scott takes one-shot lead
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