They began the week as two of the favourites for the title and Paul Casey and Colin Montgomerie lived up to that billing perfectly when they moved into a share of the lead with Thailand’s Chawalit Plaphol after the third round of the TCL Classic in China.
The trio all finished on 16 under par 200 at the Yalong Bay Golf Club, Sanya, Hainan Island, one shot clear of two more European Tour Members, Denmark’s Thomas Björn and Terry Pilkadaris of Australia, in the co-sanctioned event with the Asian Tour.
Casey and Montgomerie, Ryder Cup team-mates last September, reproduced some of the Oakland Hills magic with superb finishes to their third rounds.
Montgomerie in particular, looking for a high finish to facilitate his return to the world’s top 50 in time for the Masters Tournament at Augusta National, was delighted with the ending to his round, which had threatened to come off the rails on the front nine.
Although he started well with birdies at the second and third, three bogeys in a row from the fourth dropped the 41 year old Scot off the first page of the leaderboard. However, showing typical resilience, he battled back.
Birdies at the seventh, ninth and 13th recovered the dropped shots before the seven time European Tour Order of Merit winner finished in style. At the 17th, a fine approach shot to eight feet gave him a birdie three before he bettered that at the last, almost holing his second shot, which left him the merest of tap-ins for a second consecutive birdie three and a third round 68.
“Patience is always the key in golf," said Montgomerie. "You have to be patient and have to be careful and I was today.
“I made a slip-up with bogey-bogey-bogey, but I came back in five under par the rest of the day from there, which was very, very good. I’ll have a nice Chinese meal tonight, sleep well, and come back and see what we can do tomorrow.”
Playing alongside Montgomerie, Casey was almost as impressive in the closing stages. Two under par for his round through 15 holes, the 27 year old Englishman ensured he too would share the lead at the end of the day with birdies at the 16th and 18th for his own 68.
On the par five 16th, the three time winner on The European Tour International Schedule found the green with two mighty blows before two putting for birdie and he preceded Montgomerie’s tap-in birdie at the 18th with one of his own, his birdie effort finding the bottom of the cup from ten feet.
Sharing the limelight alongside the illustrious duo was Thailand’s Plaphol, the 30 year old carding an excellent third round 66 which featured an eagle two at the 296 yard seventh hole and five birdies elsewhere, which more than made up for his only bogey of the day which came at the 11th.
Sharing fourth place, Björn and Pilkadaris each matched the scores of Casey and Montgomerie with 68s of their own.
Björn was rewarded for his patience when, only one under for his round through 13 holes, he proceeded to birdie three holes out of four from the 14th to propel himself into contention while Pilkadaris, who has only missed two cuts out of seven events on The European Tour in 2005, had a slightly more eventful day, carding seven birdies and three bogeys in his 68.
In the final round, Casey will partner Plaphol in the last match on the course, preceded by Montgomerie and Pilkadaris, while Björn will play in the third last group alongside Korea's Wook-Soon Kang.
