Ernie Els continued his domination of the BMW Asian Open at the Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club and as a result will take a five shot lead into the final round in his quest for his third title of The 2005 European Tour season.
Els carded a third round 68 to extend his overnight lead by a stroke, t he World Number Three finishing on 19 under par 197. England's Simon Wakefield is the South Afican’s nearest challenger on 14 under par 202, last November’s Qualifying School graduate having the honour of posting the joint best round of the day with a 66.
Denmark's Thomas Björn is two shots further back on 12 under par 204 after a 68 with France's Jean-Francois Lucquin another stroke behind on 11 under par 205 following a 69.
"I have to be satisfied but today was quite a difficult day here and there," admitted Els, who carded seven birdies but three bogeys. "Yesterday I was right on but today was a little off, but all in all I have to be pleased to be 19 under after three rounds.
"It's nice to have a lead but you have to watch out. The boys are going to be coming hard and there were a couple of good scores today. I have to play sensibly and aggressive when I can."
Chasing a 21st title on The European Tour in total, Els birdied the first and bounced back from a bogey on the fourth with birdies on the seventh and eighth. The South African had closed his second-round 62 with a brilliant eagle on the par five ninth, but this time he pushed his drive into the water running down the right hand side of the hole, leading to a bogey six.
Annoyed by that error he described as “a huge sin,” Els hit straight back with a birdie on the tenth but it was clear he was not in the imperious form of Friday, another bogey coming on the 12th. However, Els again responded in typical fashion with back-to-back birdies on the 13th and 14th and another on the 18th sealed a satisfactory display.
Second placed Wakefield owed his position to a strong finish which saw him notch four birdies in the closing six holes, including at the par five 18th where he laid up in front of the water having found the bunker from the tee, and then fired a superb nine iron third shot to three feet.
“I am very pleased even though it was a day of two halves really,” said the Englishman. “I got off to a pretty nervy start but I tried to keep a smile on my face all the way round because there were a few shots that I did not hit particularly well but got good results.
“I will be nice to play with Ernie as I have not played with him before. His caddie Ricci Roberts knows my uncle quite well and they have had a few meals together. It is always nice to be in the last group on the final day. I hope I am not too intimidated by him but I am just going to enjoy it and see what happens.”
Third placed Björn got off to the perfect start in his quest to catch Els with an eagle three at the second and he was four under for the day after 12 holes. But it was there the Dane’s challenge stuttered, the 34 year old then reeling off six par figures to finish, a run which included missed birdie opportunities at both the 15th and the 18th.
“It is a pretty good score, 68, and in the golf tournament for the real people, it is pretty good!” he said. “But you know what it is like when you have a situation like you have here, he has a five shot lead at the moment and he is playing well and he is the player that he is, then you have to go out and play good golf and try and produce a 63 or a 64 from somewhere and then see if something happens with it.
“But there are just too many ifs and buts in all of that and you have got to go out and play your golf, do your best, and see what happens. You can’t put in a tactic when you are that many behind, you have just got to play golf and hopefully if you get off to a fast start, hopefully he starts thinking about it a little bit and then maybe it becomes a contest.
“But we are not talking about anybody here, we are talking about one of the finest players in the world and that is what we are up against here.”