KEY POINTS:
Sweden's Daniel Chopra, seeking his first European Tour golf title, shot a superb seven-under-par 65 to take a one-shot lead in the Australian Masters third round yesterday.
Chopra, who had started the day tied for third, made eight birdies and just one bogey to storm past overnight leader Robert Allenby, who shot a one-over 73 and dropped to eight under and a tie for fifth.
Local favourite Aaron Baddeley, who had moved into a tie for the lead with Chopra at the 15th, dropped a shot at the 16th to finish with a three-under 69 and tied for second with fellow-Australian Kurt Barnes, who also shot 65 in near perfect conditions at Huntingdale Golf Club.
Chopra began his charge with a birdie three on the fourth hole, and he picked up three more shots before the turn. He added another four birdies with his only blemish coming at the 12th.
Baddeley, the highest ranked player in the tournament, dropped a shot at the fourth hole but recorded three birdies in a row from the sixth.
Despite picking up another at 10 and an eagle at 14, his back nine was also marred by bogeys at 12 and 16.
Barnes also recorded an eight-birdie round with his solitary bogey coming on the par-four 13th.
Allenby, who won the tournament in 2003 and 2005, had a mid-round slump to drop shots at the par-five 10th and par-four 11th. He also bogeyed the last hole with his par putt fading just right and he was forced to tap in to finish with a 73.
Rod Pampling was alone in fourth place on nine under, a shot ahead of fellow Australians Stuart Appleby and Allenby and Briton Richard Finch.
The Australian Masters is co-sanctioned by the Australasian and European PGA Tours.
- Reuters
