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SYDNEY- New Zealander David Smail is in pole position to win a first Australian Open crown after opening a commanding four-shot lead midway through his final round at Royal Sydney today.
The overnight leader has carded three birdies and one bogey to move to 13-under par, four shots clear of New South Welshman Andre Stolz.
Stolz had consecutive bogeys at the sixth and seventh holes, but has just birdied the par-four eighth to get his final round back on track.
South African Tim Clark has surged up the leaderboard, reaching 10-under at one stage, but a double-bogey five at the par three 14th hole has halted his momentum, slipping back into a group of five players on eight-under.
Two-time Open winner Robert Allenby was expected to be a major contender, starting the day four shots off the pace, but he has only managed a birdie on the first hole followed by nine straight pars to sit in the group on eight-under the card.
Victorian Tim Wood was another player to make a big move, picking up an eagle on the first hole and moving to 11-under with a birdie on the par five 7th, but four bogeys over his last five holes has him at seven-under with five holes to play.
World No.11 and former US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy also had one of the day's best rounds going, picking up five shots through 16 holes to reach eight-under.
But he has just bogeyed the tough 17th and dropped back to seven-under and his wait for a first Stonehaven Cup will almost certainly continue for another year.
Runner-up the last time the tournament was held at Rose Bay in 2006, Ogilvy won his first tournament on home soil in last week's Australian PGA at Coolum, but will likely have to wait another 12 months for another shot at his national championship.
- AAP
