Stephen Scahill of New Zealand fired a blemish-free 65, seven under par, to move into a three-way tie for the lead with Paul Casey of England and Ireland’s Padraig Harrington after the third round of the Benson and Hedges International Open at The De Vere Belfry. The trio are locked on 206, ten under par.
Defending champion, Angel Cabrera of Argentina, looked likely to create a four-way log-jam at the top but after playing a superb bunker shot to three feet at the 18th he missed the putt to drop back into fourth place on 207 with Rolf Muntz of the Netherlands in fifth on 210, six under par.
The final hole was not kind, either, to Harrington. The man who was disqualified when holding a five stroke lead three years ago, pushed his approach into the bunker at the famous par four and after just escaping from the trap, ended up holing a teasing five footer for a bogey five.
Harrington had to settle for a one under par 71 while Casey and Scahill, playing ahead of the long-time leader, relentlessly picked up shots in their quest to catch the Irishman.
Scahill was the first to make a thrust with his seven-birdie round, including a cluster of three in the first four holes. The 33 year old is no stranger to low scoring – in the 1998 Madeira Island Open he threatened to break the magical 60 barrier before signing for an 11 under par 61 and ultimately taking second place.
The Kiwi had to make a wonderful up and down at the last after missing the green by such a margin that he was close to standing on the adjacent ninth as he played a deft pitch to three feet for a par-saving four.
“It’s a fantastic position to be in” said Scahill, twice a Challenge Tour graduate but more recently a qualifier from the 2002 Qualifying School Finals. “I managed to get some momentum going on early in the round and kept it going. I had to make a couple of great up and downs and I feel good about my position going into the last day.”
Casey, winner of the ANZ Championship in Australia earlier this season, made his move after the turn with five birdies in an eight-hole burst which lifted him into a share of the lead. The big-hitting Englishman, who carded a 66, admitted that his prodigious length had been a big help in the chilly conditions.
“I am very happy with that” he observed. “My course management was pretty good and on cold days like this it helps to be able to reach holes like the 17th with a three wood and five iron. It’s a huge adavantage. I would have settled for being one off the lead going into the last day but I am pleased to be sharing the lead.”
Harrington’s four birdies could have helped him extend his lead, which stood at two strokes overnight. However he dropped shots at the fourth and ninth before his error of judgement at the last which cost him the outright lead.
Cabrera, round in 70, made a potent charge with birdies at the fourth, fifth and sixth as he attempts to become the only player to successfully defend the title in the history of the tournament, which comes to an end after 33 years on Sunday. Despite further birdies at the 15th and 17th, he was betrayed by bogeys at the 13th, 14th and 18th.
Simon Khan from Essex enjoyed two moments to savour when he made an eagle two at the tenth and followed that up with an even more dramatic stroke at the 208 yard 12th. The 30 year old Englishman holed his six iron tee shot to pick up another unlikely eagle and a Toyota Land Cruiser worth over £36,000.
Those two holes, played in a total of four under par, propelled Khan through the field and at one stage he occupied fifth place before a bogey at the 15th dropped him back into a tie for eighth after a round of 71 and a three under par total of 213.
Sweden’s Niclas Fasth, who opened with a 75, climbed to 12th place with a round of 66 for a total of 214, the same mark as past champion, Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie, and Madeira Island Open champion, Bradley Dredge of Wales.
