KEY POINTS:
Nathan Green just managed to hold on to his lead but the race for the Australian Open is wide open after a dramatic third round at Royal Sydney Golf Club. Green survived a mini-meltdown late in his round to finish the day on five-under-par 211 after a one-over 73, one stroke ahead of West Australian Brett Rumford (68) and Bathurst veteran Gavin Coles (69).
But a red-hot list of local talent remains in the hunt, with pre-tournament favourite Adam Scott shooting 69 to be alone in fourth place at three-under as he chases his first title on home soil. Former winner Stuart Appleby (71), US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy (70) and Victorian Richard Green (74) are all one shot further adrift. Two-time former winners Aaron Baddeley and Peter Lonard are in contention at even par.
Greg Norman revived memories of his glory days with a four-under 68 in gentle conditions in the morning to be tied 23rd at four-over, but it was at the top of the leaderboard late in the day where the biggest dramas unfolded.
Having led for most of the way, Green was seemingly in cruise control when he birdied the par four 12th to open a commanding four-shot lead. But, after carding just two bogeys in his opening 48 holes, he dropped four shots in three holes, including a double bogey seven at the par-five 13th, before a birdie on 16 gave him back the outright lead.
"It was pretty ordinary," he said before heading back out to practice. "I hit the ball pretty bad all day and if I didn't have a putter and a sand iron I would've been mid-80s. It was a little bit disappointing. I had a good chance to put a good lead on and didn't execute that well."
He said he had struggled so far in his career when in contention to win tournaments and admitted the affliction again reared its head today.
Rumford feels the Stonehaven Cup is truly up for grabs. "It's always on the back of your mind, winning," he said. "I'm in a position to win, we've only got 18 holes to play and that's what I want to do tomorrow."