Adam Scott remained on course for his fifth title on The European Tour International Schedule when he moved into a six shot lead at the Pine Valley Golf Resort & Country Club in Beijing, as darkness brought an early end to the third round of the Johnnie Walker Classic.
When play eventually stopped, the 24 year old Australian was in a commanding position, standing 19 under par for the tournament through 11 holes of his third round, six shots clear of Asian Tour regular Gary Rusnak of America – 13 under through 11 holes – and Sweden’s Henrik Stenson – 13 under through 13 holes.
Three players finished on 12 under par - former champion Retief Goosen of South Africa (through 11 holes), Scotland’s Steven O’Hara (through 13 holes) and another South African Richard Sterne (through 11 holes). But the day, and the tournament so far, belonged to Scott.
“It was a long day but a good day and I did what I had to do because I knew the guys behind me were going to make birdies if there was no wind so that worked well,” he said. “Hopefully we can get some nice conditions tomorrow and everything keeps rolling along as it is because I feel comfortable.
“This afternoon was just about making a few birdies and hopefully staying out in front and so far so good. But Goose is obviously playing well and has found his stride and he seems at the moment to be the danger man.
“I three putted from the back edge of the sixth hole where I had a little bit of a lapse in concentration which can happen in a long day but I bounced back and made a couple of birdies which was pleasing so overall I am very happy.”
Joint second placed Stenson – winner of The Heritage tournament on The European Tour International Schedule in 2004 – made his charge up the leaderboard with a late run of birdies at the tenth, 11th, and 12th, although he left the course slightly aggrieved that he had not converted his fourth in a row at the par five 13th.
“It was a good spell towards the end although it was a bit annoying to just missed out on that one on the14th which was a bit so-so, but I have been playing solid all day and I am looking forward to the rest of the tournament.
“Well when you are playing nicely and have the momentum going you always want to keep on going but it is no use playing in the dark. I was just trying to plug away and hit one shot at a time and that is what I will continue to do tomorrow.”
Scott began the third round with a healthy four shot lead after an excellent second round 66 to add to his opening course record 63, had given him a 15 under par total of 129 and, given his impressive history of front running, it was little wonder he was confident of success.
When he won the Qatar Masters at Doha Golf Club in 2002 by six shots, Scott was three shots clear at halfway: his ten shot win later that year in the Diageo Scottish PGA Championship at Gleneagles, saw him four ahead at the midway point: and when he won the Scandic Carlsberg Scandinavian Masters in 2003 by two shots, he held a share of the lead going into the final round.
Apart from a solitary dropped shot at the 11th in the second round, where his two iron tee shot strayed into the rough from where he missed the green, Scott was flawless with seven birdies elsewhere, the “sweetest” one, in his own words, coming at the tough par three sixth where he holed from 15 feet. “I felt like I gained a shot and a half on the field there because that green is so difficult,” he said.
