England’s Nick Dougherty moved within a stroke of local favourite Mardan Mamat going into the final round of the OSIM Singapore Masters at Laguna National Golf and Country Club as he attempts to become only the third player in European Tour history to successfully defend his maiden title.
Dougherty fired a five under par 67 to advance to ten under par 206 and within a shot of Singapore’s Mamat, who carded 70. Another Englishman Ross Fisher, playing his rookie season after graduating from the Challenge Tour, shot a 68 to move into a share of third place on nine under par 207 alongside Charlie Wi. The Korean, who has just taken up his European Tour Membership after winning last month’s Maybank Malaysian Open, posted a superb 65, the low round of the day.
Mamat led by three with two holes to play but dropped a shot on the testing par three 17th and then missed the green on the last moments before the final group was called off the course before they could finish the hole due to lightning. After an hour and a half delay, Mamat returned to play his chip but, with the rain making the rough even heavier, his ball came up ten feet short, He then missed his par putt and his lead was down to one.
"I'm still leading the tournament what will happen tomorrow," said Mamat. "I'm looking foward to it."
Only Trevor Immelman (South African Airways Open 2003/4) and Thongchai Jaidee (Malaysian Open 2004/ 5) have successfully defended their first titles and Dougherty will attempt to join the exclusive club tomorrow.
“I achieved what I wanted to today and put myself past a lot of the other challengers,” said Dougherty. “I am not hitting the ball as well as I like to and not anywhere near the quality of golf as last year. But I am getting the job done. Mardan is in front at the moment but I have the advantage of playing with him tomorrow.
“It is a bit different on Sunday. There is a lot of pressure on him and he is the home player as well. He will get a lot of support but that is a bit of a burden as well. If I can switch it on I am capable of shooting a great score.”
Dougherty got off to the perfect start with three birdies but a careless drive on the fourth, which went into the water, followed by a three putt, cost him a double bogey. He hit back with another hat-trick of birdies from the sixth to climb back up the board.
Although he dropped a shot on the tenth, he recovered with a birdie on the 11th by getting up and down from the front and before hitting his best shot of the week, a six iron off a side hill lie on the 14th to four feet for another birdie.
He let a birdie chance go begging on the 15th but safely parred in to put the pressure on Mamat.
“It would be the biggest thing I have ever done to win this tournament,” added Dougherty. “It was big last year and to defend it would be massive.”
Fisher birdied the last for a 68 as he continues to build on a fine rookie season that has already brought him two top tens.
“I played really well but didn’t make any putts except for that one on the last,” said Fisher. “I gave myself loads of chances. I am in touch with the leaders now. I’ll just go out and enjoy it.”
Wi thrust himself into title contention after a third round of seven under par 65.
The South Korean propped himself nicely behind the leaders and is ready to make a final-day charge.
"I hit it good in the first two days but didn't make any putts until today," said Wi, who leads the UBS Asian Tour Order of Merit standings with US$223,031 in winnings.
"I was able to convert those 10-12 foot putts and that was the main difference. Golf is a funny game. Once you start making one or two putts, it starts pouring in.”
