Dodd stays in front at Volvo China Open
BY iseekgolf.com | Asian Tour | 2004 Volvo China Open | Round Three | 27 Nov 2004
Stephen Dodd of Wales stayed three strokes clear of the chasing pack at the Volvo China Open today but hot on his heels is Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn.
The Briton fired a second successive two-under-par 70 to retain his overnight lead at Shanghai Silport Golf Club in the US$1 million championship, jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.
Back-in-form Bjorn got into gear with a 68, thanks to a strong inward nine to lie in tied second place with compatriot Soren Hansen, who battled to a 70. Another Welshman Bradley Dredge carded a 70 to lie a further stroke back. Korea’s Chung Joon and Scotland’s Simon Yates maintained the Asian Tour presence on the leaderboard, a 72 and 70 respectively leaving them five off the pace entering the final round.
“I’m obviously pleased about that. I didn’t drive the ball very well but the rest of the game was pretty solid today, so we’ll have to wait and see what happens tomorrow,” said the 38-year-old Dodd, who leads with eight-under-par 208.
The laidback Welshman, chasing his first career title and has never led into the final round, started strongly with birdies on the fifth and sixth holes but tripped up with a triple bogey at the next, finding the water hazard with a flier from out of the rough. “There’s nothing you can do about that. I hit some good shots, had a few chances for birdies on the back nine and it was nice to hole a 10-footer for birdie at the last as I missed a few chances before that,” said Dodd.
Bjorn endured a rough summer which saw him walk off the course in an Irish event but showed he is clearly back in form, firing five birdies, including three in a row from the 14th hole. “It took a long time before things started to happen and all of the sudden I made three birdies. And all of the sudden, I’m on the leaderboard which is the main thing and now it is a question of going out tomorrow, look them in the eye and say this is it, who is going to win the tournament,” said the big Dane, who was an assistant captain in Europe’s Ryder Cup win in September.
He could have been closer to the leader after finding the par five 18th green in two shots, but he agonisingly three-putted, missing a birdie attempt from four feet. “Any three putt is a let down. I thought it was quicker going up the hill (on the first putt). I’m within striking distance and that was the important thing,” said Bjorn, who has a runner-up and seventh place finish in recent times.
Hansen, who is playing with a hairline fracture on his little left finger, said Bjorn’s presence is an ominous one. "Being the best player in the field here, it is an intimidating factor that his name is there. You start to look over the shoulder to see what he’s doing but I’ve known Thomas for many years and I don’t get intimidated by him," said the former Irish Open champion.
The Dane was pleased to remain in the hunt for the 10th Volvo China Open crown despite not being up to mark. He had five birdies on the card but dropped three shots over the par-72, 7,073 yard Silport layout. “I’m still right up there. But to be honest with you, I didn’t really play well. I got it going on the front nine but hit a wayward tee shot on nine and made bogey. I three putted number 10 and it sort of drained me a little bit and never got it going again,” said Hansen.
Yates and Chung were the Asian Tour’s flagbearers but have to find an overdrive to land the prestigious championship. The Scotsman stumbled to an outward 38 before hitting a fine run of three birdies on the trot from the 11th and finishing up in style with another tap-in birdie at the last.
Like Dodd, Chung, playing in the last group, found the watery grave on the seventh to run up a double and spoil his three birdies on the outward nine as he settled for an even par 72.
Gregory Havret of France, England’s Mark Foster and Barry Lane are tied fifth with Chung and Yates on 213.
Source – Asian Tour
