Yang Yong-eun, Asia’s first Major winner, shot a bogey-free four-under 68 yesterday to hold a one-stroke lead going into the final round of the US$2.5 million Volvo China Open.
The PGA Championship winner is 14-under at a blustery Suzhou Jinji Lake International Golf Club, where he picked up birdies on holes two, 10, 11 and 14.
At the event co-sanctioned by OneAsia and the European Tour, Mikko Ilonen of Finland carded a 68 and Jamie Donaldson of Wales posted a 69 to share second place on 13-under, two ahead of Pablo Larrazabal of Spain, who signed for a 70.
South Korean youngster Kim Do-hoon, the second-round leader, recorded a 73 to lie 10-under with 2004 champion Stephen Dodd of Wales, who shot a 66. Chinese No. 1 Liang Wenchong is seven shots off the pace after a 73.
EXCITED
Yang, 38, was excited about the prospect of winning China’s national Open after memorably beating Tiger Woods to win the 2006 HSBC Champions in nearby Shanghai.
“China has always been a lucky place for me,” Yang said.
“Right now, everything’s coming quite easily, although I did well to save par several times today, especially considering the wind,” he said.
Yang also won the Honda Classic on last year’s PGA Tour.
“It was tough, but I’m in a good position,” he said.
Yang, who won the Korea Open in 2006 and also boasts three Japan Tour titles, revealed that he planned to open a golf academy in China so victory “would help my profile in China.”
QUICK START
Ilonen, who will play with Yang today, birdied three of the first four holes.
“I had a quick start, but it was a little up and down after that,” said the 30-year-old Ilonen, who won the Indonesia Open and Scandinavia Masters in 2007.
Donaldson bagged four birdies and dropped a shot on the par-three eighth as he bids for his fourth European Tour title.
“I’m very happy as it was tough out there because of the wind,” said the 34-year-old Welshman. “I got it going in the middle of the round and I felt like I matched Yang shot for shot. He’s a nice guy and his record speaks for itself.”
Liang, who won the OneAsia tour’s season-opening Luxehills Chengdu Open two weeks ago, conceded he had only an outside chance of winning the title he cherishes so dearly.
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