Britain’s Simon Wakefield chipped in at the last hole to grab a share of the Johnnie Walker Championship third-round lead alongside Swede Fredrik Andersson-Hed on Saturday.
A closing birdie in strong afternoon winds gave Wakefield a level-par 73 for a nine-under tally of 210, the same mark as Andersson-Hed who compiled a blemish-free 66 in less arduous morning conditions.
The pair were a stroke in front of 2006 European rookie of the year Marc Warren of Britain (73).
Wakefield said on Friday, when he shared the second-round lead with Frenchman Thomas Levet, that he could never perform well on Saturdays.
But in winds gusting up to 40km/h, the 33-year-old Englishman battled to end his jinx.
”The wind was unbelievable at times,” Wakefield told a news conference. ”When I made a double-bogey on the third I thought ‘here we go again, Saturday’.
”If ever there was going to be a Saturday where I could have finished five or six over this was it but this time I overcame it. The chip at the end was brilliant.”
Andersson-Hed, who has added his wife’s surname to his own, was rewarded for taking a chance with a back problem just before the event as he ran up seven birdies.
”I was just exercising at home when I felt some really bad twinges,” said the Swede. ”I considered pulling out of the tournament but because I had booked the flight, decided to come.
”The back was so painful I didn’t hit a shot on Wednesday, just had a few putts. But the tour physios did a great job and I was fit to play on Thursday.”
A strong three weeks in European spring-time when he finished second, third and sixth ensured he would not lose his card this time round after a year on the lower-ranked Challenge Tour.
Former European number one Lee Westwood shared fourth place, two off the lead, with fellow Britons Alastair Forsyth and Phillip Archer.
A double-bogey on 15 left Levet a further stroke back on 213 with four other players. – Reuters