Three share lead at Omega Hong Kong Open

BY iseekgolf.com | Asian Tour | 2004 Hong Kong Open | Round Three | 04 Dec 2004

South African James Kingston fired a blistering eight-under-par 62 to share the third round lead in the Omega Hong Kong Open with defending champion Padraig Harrington and Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez.

Kingston blitzed the par-70 Hong Kong Golf Club’s Composite Course with nine birdies, including three in a row from the 16th hole to finish his round off in style. The Springbok’s reward was a final day grouping with Ryder Cup stars Harrington and Jimenez, who shot 67 and 71 respectively.

Thammanoon Srirot is one stroke back heading into the last day of the US$800,000 Championship, jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour. The Thai overcame a sluggish start for a 66, thanks to an inward five-under where he signed off with a monster 60-foot birdie putt on the 18th.

Big Dane Thomas Bjorn, England’s golf legend Nick Faldo and David Howell are tied with Thammanoon. Bjorn and Faldo, who hasn’t won since 1997, sounded their intentions with matching 65s while Howell battled to a 70 on a day when swirling winds made scoring tough, except for the in-form Kingston.

The 39-year-old Kingston played in Asia for five years, winning four times, before enjoying a strong rookie year in Europe where he finished 59th on the money ranking. “It was nice. To shoot 62 on probably the toughest day so far is quite pleasing. It’s the right day to do it. I had birdies on the second, third and fourth and I knew I was off. I had a good start. I wish you could do something special to produce rounds like this but it just happens.”

He will have to deal with some heavyweights of European golf, including last year’s champion Harrington and crowd favourite Faldo. Harrington holed a 20-foot uphill birdie putt at the last hole to tie for the lead on 10-under-par 200 and played his way into tomorrow’s final group.

“It just curled in. I’m very pleased with that. The thing was to make sure I made the last group and I think it could have been the third last group if I didn’t hole that one,” said Harrington, who won last year’s Omega Hong Kong Open with a similar length birdie at the 72nd hole.

The Dubliner, ranked sixth in the world, is ready to knuckle down to regain his title, which would be a career first. “There’s a lot to play for tomorrow. Even if I was leading, it would be hard work. I’m worried about myself, as always. Why worry about Nick when Miguel is in form. David (Howell) is due a win and it could be a fairy tale story for Nick and Thomas is up there,” said Harrington.

Faldo’s last individual victory was the 1997 Nissan Open on the US PGA Tour and the 47-year-old, a six-time Major champion, rolled back the years with a round that included seven birdies, including birdies on 17 and 18 from 24 feet. When asked if he could win in Hong Kong, which he did at the Johnnie Walker Classic back in 1990, Faldo said: "My goodness. I’ll just try to do the same. There’s no reason why not. That’s the goal. I want to still be competitive. This could be a big boost for me tomorrow. Now that I have a great opportunity, so let’s test it all tomorrow. I know what to do, it might take more of a conscious effort to do it. I’ve been working on some fundamentals of the swing, putting and all areas and trying to find out what works and stick with it. I’ll keep it that way tomorrow."

He bogeyed his opening hole by hooking his drive but roared home with four birdies in his last seven holes. A new “South Beach” diet has seen Faldo loose six kilograms since late August and the trimmer Englishman believe it has helped him this week “I just keep plugging away and hit very good shots. I’m just doing what I’m trying to do. Working hard on reading the greens, lining up and it’s paying off. If you carrying six kilos less, it is going to be significant,” said Faldo, who needed only 25 putts today.

Thammanoon, winner of the Tianjin TEDA Open in China in August, flew the Asian Tour flag as compatriot Thongchai Jaidee and Chinese ace Zhang Lian-wei fell off the leaderboard with rounds of 72 and 73 respectively. The Thai was two over par through eight but was six under in his last 10 holes.

“I missed short putts for bogeys and after that, I started charging the putts. I have a good chance for tomorrow but I do need to start better than today. My driver didn’t work well, I was going left and right. So I need to go to the practice range and work it out. It’s a good leaderboard with many European stars but I won’t be afraid to give it a go,” said Thammanoon, who will play alongside Bjorn and Faldo in Sunday’s second last group out.

Bjorn, last week’s runner up at the Volvo China Open, continued his recent run of good form by charging up the leaderboard with his week’s best of 65. He holed a bunker shot on five for birdie and chipped in for another birdie on nine. "You start seven behind and now I’m one behind. I got pretty much what I deserved. I’m happy. I’m doing the right things and I’m playing alright. Didn’t swing the club very well but got it around. I knew it was going to be a tough day and you need to battle today with the wind blowing like this."

Overnight leader Jimenez started strongly with an opening birdie but his title charged derailed with four bogeys in his next eight holes. A long eagle putt on 12th ensured he stayed on top of the leaderboard with Kingston and Harrington. “It was a very hard day,” said Jimenez, who is chasing his fifth title of the year.

“I started with a birdie and then we had to wait on the second tee for a long time and I missed my shot. After that I never got going on the golf course. I didn’t hit it properly and couldn’t find the hole. I felt a bit strange on the course, didn’t feel like myself out there. Something was down but there is one more round to play.

“It is nice to see Nick playing well. He’s a top class player for so many years but Padraig and Thomas will be dangerous.”

Source – Asian Tour