KEY POINTS:
PERTH - New Zealand golfer Danny Lee has put himself firmly in contention to win the Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth heading into today's final round.
The 18-year old amateur birdied the four par-fives on The Vines course on his way to a third round 69 to finish the day in a four-way share of third place on 12-under par.
The England duo of Ross McGowan and John Bickerton, 65 and 66 respectively yesterday, head the tri-sanctioned event on 14-under par.
Lee is two shots further back in a group containing Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin, 66, Argentina's Felipe Aguilar, 68, and Australian Terry Pilkadaris, 68.
Lee, the reigning US Amateur champion, let slip a chance to finish on 13-under par when he bogeyed the par three 16th.
"Not much happened today and I wasn't driving the ball very well and that resulted in a lot of ups-and-downs," he said.
"It was also the same case as Friday as I also missed a lot of short birdie putts.
"The crowds have been very good to me this week and they are encouraging me on every hole and that is really nice, so I am loving this tournament at the moment."
If Lee, from Rotorua, wins the A$2.75 million ($3.54 million) tri-sanctioned event, he would become the first amateur to win on the Australasian Tour since Brett Rumford claimed the 1999 ANZ Players Championship at Royal Queensland.
Hamilton's David Smail eagled his last hole in a score of 69 for a six-under par tally whilst Perth-based Michael Long carded a third round 77, that included just one birdie, to fall back to two over par.
Some of the players who started the day high on the leaderboard tumbled badly in 40 degree temperatures.
American Anthony Kim, two strokes off the lead after yesterday, had a 9 on the par-5 third and shot 75, moving from a tie for sixth to a tie for 46th.
He was joined by second-round co-leader Anthony Kang of the United States, who shot 77, putting the two Korean-Americans nine shots back.
Ireland's Damien McGrane, tied with Kang after the second round, shot 72 today to tie for 12th.
Camilo Villegas of Colombia and Greg Norman, in his first main, non-senior tournament since finishing third at last year's British Open, both failed to make the cut and had the weekend off.
- NZPA
