KEY POINTS:
A third consecutive round in the 60s left New Zealand golfer David Smail one shot off the lead going into the final round of the A$1.4 ($1.59) million Australian PGA Championship in Queensland today.
On another day of low scoring at Coolum's Hyatt Regency course yesterday, Smail rattled in five birdies to match his opening round 67 for a 54-hole total of 13-under 203.
That left him one shot behind the outright leader, South Africa's Rory Sabbatini, who also shot 67, and he was tied for second with four others - American Jason Gore and Australians Adam Bland, Michael Sim and Peter Lonard.
Smail began the day two shots behind leader Adam Scott and was again a model of consistency, recording a blemish-free round including birdies on the first, seventh, 12th, 15th and 18th.
Scott meanwhile dropped off the pace with a triple bogey eight on the 12th, but fought back with three birdies late in his round to be 10-under.
Another New Zealander, Michael Long, put himself in the frame for a healthy pay cheque with a third round of 66, including seven birdies and a bogey five on the 10th.
It left Long tied for 16th, six shots off the lead at eight-under.
Of the other Kiwis, Mahal Pearce shot a one-under 71 to leave him 10 shots off the leader at four-under while Josh Carmichael also shot 71 to be one-under for the tournament.
- NZPA
