Ireland’s Damien McGrane looked positioned for the maiden win of his career after a four-under 68 shot him to the top of the leaderboard in the third round of the China Open yesterday.
Second round leader Michael Lorenzo-Vera of France slipped down to a share of second place with England’s Oliver Wilson after they both finished with a total of eight-under 208 at the Beijing CBD International Golf Club, three strokes behind McGrane.
Two-time Asian Tour winner Scott Strange of Australia carded the day’s best score of 66 for a 210 total to finish in fourth place, while current Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Mark Brown of New Zealand was a further shot back in fifth on 211.
Defending champion Markus Brier of Austria, Jason Knutzon of the US and Fabrizio Zanotti of Paraguay were tied for sixth after they returned with matching 212s.
McGrane started the day tied for second, but shot three consecutive birdies starting from the par-three third hole.
Bogeys on the sixth and seventh cut his lead back, but the Irishman made amends with four more birdies against a lone bogey on his homeward run.
Strange made the biggest move of the day after his sparkling round of 66 took him to fourth place.
The 31-year-old Australian got off steadily on his opening front nine with a birdie on the second. But it was only on his homeward nine that Strange began to mount a spectacular charge for the title. He reeled in five more birdies, starting from the 11th, then moving on to three consecutive ones from the tricky 14th before closing with one on the 18th.
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