Scott claims lead at Mastercard Masters
BY iseekgolf.com | Australasian PGA Tour | 2002 MasterCard Masters | Round Three | 07 Dec 2002
Queenslander Adam Scott, who is looking towards for his first Australian Tour win, takes a one stroke lead into the final round of the $1.25 million MasterCard Masters at the Huntingdale Golf Club. Scott claimed the lead with a round of -3 (69), which included six birdies and three bogeys, with all of the bogeys coming over the final four holes.
Gavin Coles started the day in outright third and moved up to take outright second following a solid -3 (69), with Robert Allenby just one shot back at -6 courtesy of a superb 65.
Overnight leader West Australian Steve Collins faltered for the first time this week to card a round of 3 (75), dropping him back to – and equal 4th. Collins mastered the testing conditions in the first two rounds with back-to-back rounds of 68, however, today’s calm conditions could not settle his nerves and he now has some work to do to secure his first Tour victory.
Fellow West Australian Nick O’Hern sits alongside Collins after a round of 65 that included ten birdies, and Craig Parry, who posted a blemish-free -6 (66).
Victorian Aaron Baddeley, who only just made the weekend cut after back-to-back rounds of 75, fired nine birdies and one bogey to jump from equal 58th at 6 to -2 and a tie for 10th. Baddeley is now six strokes off the pace and with the form he showed today anything is possible in the final round.
Fellow Victorian Stuart Appleby joined Baddeley with a birdie blitz of his own, which included nine birdies and two bogeys on his way to a 65 and -3.
Last week’s co-winner of the Australian PGA, Peter Lonard, failed to fire in the third round and was lucky not to drop more shots after several wayward approach shots. He posted three birdies but gave two back with bogeys coming at the 9th and 17th holes on his way to a round of 71. Lonard finished at -3 and in a tie for 7th along with Stuart Appleby and Queensland’s Adam Crawford.
Weather forecasts for tomorrow look promising with only a chance of late rain and temperatures in the mid-20’s.
