Japan take lead, Australia slips at EMC World Cup

BY iseekgolf.com | US PGA Tour | 2002 World Cup | Round Three | 15 Dec 2002

Shigeki Maruyama and Toshimitsu Izawa have placed Japan ever closer to their first World Cup victory since 1957 in Tokyo, when it was known as the Canada Cup. The pair carved up the Mexican course with 12 birdies and an eagle at the par 4 13th hole on their way to a round of -14 (58).

Japan finished the third round at -30 and will take a one stroke over overnight leaders, Fiji, into the fourth and final round.

The Fijian team of vijay Singh and Dinesh Chand stayed well in contention with yet another superb round today of 62 today. They have fired rounds of 63, 62 and 62 to keep their hopes of a maiden Fijian win alive. One stroke further back are defending champions, South Africa (Rory Sabbatini and Tim Clark), who also had carded a 62 to close the day at -28 and outright 3rd place.

The American team of Phil Mickelson and David Toms fired the round of the day with a -15 (57) to leap back into contention at -27 and are now just three strokes from Japan.

Australians Craig Parry and Adam Scott slipped back to equal 8th alongside Korea, after carding a 65. The Aussies will need to play superbly tomorrow if they are to have any chance at taking the first EMC World Cup title since Peter Fowler and Wayne Grady in 1989.

Despite a 64 today, the New Zealand team are well out of the match at -14 and in outright 21st.

Round Three Scoreboard
1 -30 Japan (64-64-58)

2 -29 Fiji (63-62-62)

3 -28 South Africa (62-64-62)

4 -27 United States (65-67-57)

T5 -26 Scotland (63-65-62)
T5 -26 England (65-63-62)
T5 -26 Canada (59-67-64)

T8 -24 Korea (61-67-64)
T8 -24 Australia (60-67-65)

T10 -23 Ireland (64-67-62)
T10 -23 Trinidad-Tobago (63-66-64)

12 -22 Argentina (64-68-62)

T13 -21 Denmark (63-70-62)
T13 -21 Switzerland (63-67-65)

T15 -20 Myanmar (66-66-64)
T15 -20 Wales (63-68-65)

T17 -19 France (61-72-64)
T17 -19 Sweden (62-71-64)

T19 -16 Singapore (70-65-65)
T19 -16 Germany (67-69-64)

21 -14 New Zealand (65-73-64)
22 -13 Colombia (66-68-69)
23 -11 Venezuela (66-67-72)
24 -10 Mexico (68-72-66)