Golf: Smail right on pace at Moonah Classic

New Zealand golfer David Smail is primed to challenge for his eighth career title in the US$600,000 ($1.18 million) Moonah Classic in Melbourne tomorrow.

The Japan Tour regular ended the third round today in third place, just three shots behind the leader, Argentina's Miguel Angel Carballo.

Smail posted a one-under-par 71 for a tournament card of six-under 210 to be well positioned entering the closing round of the Nationwide Tour and Australian Tour co-sanctioned event.

He produced a mixed bag, registering six birdies and five bogeys at Moonah Links, with three of his dropped shots coming at successive holes from the fifth.

A top result tomorrow would help put a smile back on the face of Smail after he squandered a golden opportunity to win the Australian Open in Sydney in December.

He shelled five shots on the back nine in the last round to throw away a four-shot lead and eventually had to settle for a share of third place.

He finished 31st equal in the Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth last week, his first outing of the year, and has built on that at Moonah Links where he shares third spot with Australian veteran Peter O'Malley, one stroke behind Australian Richie Gallichan.

Smail was one of five New Zealanders to negotiate the second-round cut.

The best of the others is left-hander Gareth Paddison, who shot 72 today to share 24th place on 214, one stroke ahead of Mahal Pearce and Phil Tataurangi, who posted respective rounds of 73 and 71.

Michael Long was 37th equal on 216 after shooting 74.

The biggest New Zealand casualty of the midway cut was Johnnie Walker Classic champion Danny Lee.

The 18-year-old amateur posted rounds of 74 and 75 to have the weekend off, as he looks ahead to the New Zealand PGA Championship starting in Christchurch on Thursday and the following week's New Zealand Open near Queenstown.

- NZPA