Robert-Jan Derksen battled through the swirling winds and cold to post a three-over-par 75 for a three-day total of six-under-par 210 to take a two shot lead over Spain's Pablo Martin who recorded a 212 total. After a birdie at the 5th Derksen was actually lying one-under for the day and held a five-stroke lead over his nearest challenger, but he too fell foul of the vicious conditions.
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Robert-Jan Derksen chips on to the 16th green during the third round of the Ballantine’s Championship at Pinx Golf Club in Jeju, Korea, on Saturday. The Dutchman carded a three-over-par 75 in windy conditions for a two-shot lead. [Paul Lakatos/Parallel Media Group]
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He dropped shots on the sixth and ninth before making amends with an eagle on the 10th straight after the turn. He then bogeyed the 11th and mixed his card with another birdie on the 13th and four other bogeys over the four closing holes.
"It was very tough. I think it was unfair and unplayable. I think there was definitely a lot of luck involved today," he said later. "The only thing you could do out there was to just try your best. I did that on every shot I played today, and I'm still two in front. So I guess that's the best part of the day," he added.
Korea's Kang Kyung-nam and Kang Wook-soon together with Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee are tied for third on 214, two shots behind Pablo Martin of Spain.
Thongchai, chasing his 12th win on the Asian Tour, started off convincingly with two birdies in his opening four holes. The Thai ace temporary took a share of the lead when Derksen dropped a shot on the par four sixth to go to nine-under. However, a disastrous double bogey on the seventh followed by further bogeys on the eighth and ninth saw him slip back to second as gusty winds and chilly temperatures continued to lash across the course.
An eagle three on the 543-yard par-five 10th at the start of his inward-nine temporary brought the smiles back for the 11-time Asian Tour winner. But what followed after that were a double bogey and bogey on the 11th and 12th before birdies on the 14th and 15th appeared to have saved his game. However, another double bogey on the 16th and two successive bogeys on the 17th and 18th meant that he would end the day with a 77 for a share of third place.
"It's really crazy out there today. This just isn't a day for playing golf. The winds made it so difficult to control your shots," said Thongchai.
Ominously for the leaders, the difficult conditions brought another name back into the frame. Three-time Major winner Ernie Els of South Africa shot a 73, and was in the mix again tied for sixth on 215. Lee Westwood of England posted a decent 76 to take a share of 27th place at this Ballantine’s Championship, which is the first Asian Tour event in Korea this season to be sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour and Korean PGA.
Leading third round scores:
210 - Robert-Jan Derksen (NED) 66-69-75
212 - Pablo Martin (ESP) 69-69-74
214 - Kang Kyung-nam (KOR) 66-73-75, Thongchai Jaidee (THA) 66-71-77,Kang Wook-soon (KOR) 68-69-77
215 - Ernie Els (RSA) 68-74-73,Choi Gwang-soo (KOR) 71-70-74, Francois Delamontagne (FRA) 72-72-71, Mikko Ilonen (FIN) 68-73-74,Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (ESP) 65-74-76
216 - Jason Knutzon (USA) 67-74-75, Rafael Cabrera B (ESP) 68-72-76, Andrew Dodt (AUS) 72-68-76, Kang Sung-Hoon (KOR) 69-71-76,Scott Barr (AUS) 68-72-76
Mardan Mamat (SIN) 69-70-77, Mark Brown (NZL) 65-73-78
217 - Terry Pilkadaris (AUS) 75-68-74, Brett Rumford (AUS) 68-73-76, Choi Ho-sung (KOR) 69-72-76, Seve Benson (ENG) 69-70-78
Selected scores:
220 - Lee Westwood (ENG) 71-73-76
226 – Fred Couples (USA) 69-76-81
(China.org.cn April 26, 2009)
