Date: September 02, 2007
Author:

Ormsby an outside chance

Two players without a single European Tour win between them in 368 attempts lead the Johnnie Walker Championship, but Australia&aposs Wade Ormsby remains an outside chance with a round to play in Scotland. Sweden&aposs Fredrik Andersson Hed (66) produced a brilliant charge through the field on day three to share top spot with England&aposs Simon Wakefield (73). Scot Marc Warren (73) is at eight-under and a shot behind the leading pair, while Ormsby (75) is the only Australian sub-par for the tournament at four-under. Down in 33rd place at halfway, 35-year-old Andersson Hed, without a win in 188 tries, defied strong winds to return a brilliant seven-under-par 66, while Wakefield, never better than second in 180 goes, returned a level par 73. He and Wakefield defied their lowly rankings on a tricky day for players. The wind was such that Andersson Hed had a problem with a moving ball on the final green. Having just made a 50-foot putt for his sixth birdie at the short 17th, he was on in two at the par-five last, putted up to five feet and then saw the ball move as he flicked his marker away. Calling for a referee, the ball moved again as he was explaining the situation. There was no penalty, though, because the referee ruled that the wind caused the movement rather than the player. As for the remaining Australians in the field, it was a tough day with only Ormsby, Matthew Millar (76) and Brett Rumford (75) cracking 80. Peter O&aposMalley slipped out of contention with an 81, Terry Pilkadaris (81) was unable to replicate his opening round 69 and Terry Price carded an 80. Colin Montgomerie is still hanging in the hunt at five-under following a 71, defending champion Paul Casey (73) is one further back, but Darren Clarke is one-over after a nightmare finish of bogey six, double bogey five and double bogey seven for a 76. Third Round of the Johnnie Walker Championship (par 73) -9 Fredrik Andersson Hed 73 71 66, Simon Wakefield 68 69 73 -8 Marc Warren 65 73 73 -7 Phillip Archer 68 71 73, Alastair Forsyth 69 71 72, Lee Westwood 74 69 69 -6 Ariel Canete 73 72 68, Stephen Gallacher 71 72 70, Soren Hansen 69 72 72, Thomas Levet 69 68 76, Graeme Storm 70 70 73 -5 James Kingston 70 73 71, David Lynn 72 68 74, Colin Montgomerie 69 74 71 also: -4 Wade Ormsby (Australia) 71 69 75 +2 Matthew Millar (Australia) 77 67 76, Brett Rumford (Australia) 72 73 75 +6 Peter O&aposMalley (Australia) 73 71 81 +7 Terry Pilkadaris (Australia) 69 76 81, Terry Price (Australia) 71 75 80