Golf: English pair lead NZ Open

English golfer Oliver Wilson is within sight of his maiden European Tour title after earning the third round lead in the $1.5 million New Zealand Open north of Auckland today.

Wilson shot a four-under-par 68 to sit at 17-under 199 and hold a one-stroke advantage over his more experienced compatriot Miles Tunnicliff.

Wilson, 24, began his round at the Gulf Harbour Country Club with four successive birdies to quickly improve from his overnight position of third then held his own in blustery conditions despite bogey fives at the ninth and 10th holes.

Tunnicliff shot 70 after stumbling at the last when his approach missed the green.

The resulting bogey gifted the outright lead to Wilson, meaning the two Englishmen will play together in the last grouping tomorrow.

Three shots back of Wilson was Australian left-hander Richard Green, who posted a 69 to be one ahead of overnight leader Niclas Fasth, of Sweden.

Fasth followed his earlier rounds of 65 and 63 with a three-over 75 to slip to fourth equal with Australians Simon Nash and Marcus Fraser on 203.

It's all a new experience for Wilson, appearing in just his fifth European Tour event after graduating from the secondary Challenge Tour in 2004 when he finished 15th on the moneylist.

He does not really know what to expect but Wilson does know he will be nervous on the first tee tomorrow.

"I led on the Challenge Tour a couple of time but that was nothing like this.

"I'm not nervous at the moment but I'm sure I will be in the morning and I don't think I'll get too much sleep tonight."

Fasth could not get moving today, shelling a shot at the par-three third before another three bogeys on the homeward journey stalled his progress further.

Tunnicliff, Fasth and Green all equalled the course record of 63 yesterday, and all but Fasth kept moving in the right direction today.

Shadowing Green were Fasth, Fraser, who jumped into a share of fourth after a round of 68 which contained an eagle three on the 475m par-five sixth hole, and Nash, who shot 71.

The day's best score of six-under 66 was posted by three players -- Englishman Lee Slattery, and Australian pair Peter O'Malley and Andrew Tschudin.

Slattery and O'Malley improved to a share of seventh place on 204, O'Malley after posting eight birdies and Slattery after starting like a man on a mission as he birdied each of his opening six holes.

Another wily Australian who cannot be discounted is Craig Parry, the 2002 New Zealand Open champion who was on 205 after shooting 69.

Among eight others in a share of ninth on 205 were England's Simon Khan and Australian Brett Rumford, who were also both three under the card today.

The scoring overall, though, was dragged back today by boisterous southwesterly winds as the course produced a stroke average of 72, a full two strokes more than in the opening round and in excess of one more than yesterday.

- NZPA