/ 15 April 2012

Oosthuizen keeps slender lead going into final round

Oosthuizen Keeps Slender Lead Going Into Final Round

South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen held on to his slender one-shot lead going into the final round of the rain-hit Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

Oosthuizen, who finished runner-up in the US Masters last Sunday by losing out to American Bubba Watson on the second extra hole in Augusta, registered a three-under 69 in the third round, a shot ahead of Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher.

The 2010 British Open champion returned to the course early on Sunday to complete the remaining eight holes and offset a single bogey with one birdie to remain on 13-under 203 at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.

Thunderstorms and rain had ended play early for the second consecutive day on Saturday in the $2.5-million co-sanctioned European and Asian Tour event.

Gallacher (37) mixed two birdies and two bogeys over his remaining seven holes, a dropped shot at the 17th putting him on 12-under and out of the share of lead.

Rafael Cabrera-Bello of Spain, Ricardo Gonzalez of Argentina and Danny Willet of England trailed Oosthuizen by two shots at 11-under. — Reuters