Golf: Geary in the lead despite 10

An imperfect 10 by Josh Geary has brought the runaway leader back to the pack after the third round of the Carrus Tauranga Open yesterday.

Geary, the North Island amateur champion, has a one-shot lead over fellow Tauranga amateur Kevin Smith going into today's final round at Tauranga Golf Club.

The pair cleared out from the field with Geary on 17-under par, eight shots ahead of leading professional, Canterbury's Tony Christie.

Geary appeared to be heading to a one-sided victory as he raced to a remarkable 20-under par with four birdies in his opening six holes yesterday. He then made a disastrous five-over 10 with a lost ball and a penalty for an unplayable lie at the par-five seventh. Playing partner Smith made a superb eagle at the same hole to bring about an unprecedented seven-shot swing on one hole, and leave the pair level on 15-under par.

"I don't know what happened to the first drive but no one could find it. I over-compensated with the second tee shot to the other side and could not really believe it," Geary said.

"I tried to put it out of my mind because I was playing well. I'm still in front and looking forward to the battle tomorrow."

The 21-year-old steadied himself, mixing a birdie at the ninth with a bogey at the 15th before making birdies on the final two holes, to match Smith and retain a slender advantage.

Smith had a mixed bag with five birdies - four of them on the back nine - and an eagle, along with a double bogey and two other dropped shots.

"This is in uncharted territory for me. Apart from a club championship I've never been in this position in any tournament, let alone one of this size. I am really looking forward to tomorrow," Smith said.

Few emerged from the chasing bunch with Christie making a three-under par 68 to be third on nine-under par, and he has a four-shot buffer to the next professional in the race for the lion's share of the $40,000 purse. The New Zealand under-23 champion Danny Lee (Rotorua), at 15, is alone in fourth place on seven-under.