Golf: Lee in sight of another top 10 finish

New Zealand golfer Danny Lee is ideally placed to secure his third successive top 10 pay cheque on the Nationwide Tour in the United States.

The 20-year-old 2009 Johnnie Walker Classic champion heads into the final round of the US$600,000 ($753,960) BMW Charity Pro-Am in Carolina tomorrow just six shots behind the leader.

Lee dropped 10 places today on the back of a third round one-under-par 70 which left him on 204 for the tournament, in a tie for 17th but only one stroke outside the top 10.

His round today was wrecked by a triple bogey eight at the par-five 16th, which served to undo all the good work he did elsewhere as he helped himself to five birdies after beginning with a bogey five at the first hole.

Through three rounds Lee is ranked at the top of the field for driving distance, averaging 282.5m, but he will need his putter to behave tomorrow after requiring 30 putts today, the same as during his first round of 68.

Of the other New Zealanders, Brad Iles improved 13 places to a share for 24th on 205 on the back of a 68 and left-hander Tim Wilkinson shot 69 to be another stroke back in a tie for 33rd.

Josh Geary and Steve Alker both missed the third round cut, Geary by one shot after posting a 71 today, while Alker shot 74.

Leading scores after the third round of the Nationwide Tour's US$600,000 BMW Charity Pro-Am in Carolina today (US unless stated):-

198 - Travis Hampshire 60 68 70

199 - Sunghoon Kang (South Korea) 67 63 69

201 - Martin Flores 68 66 67, Greg Owen (England) 65 63 73, Brent Delahoussaye 70 67 64, Brendon Todd 64 67 70, Garth Mulroy (South Africa) 65 66 70, Michael Sims (Bermuda) 68 66 67

203 - Russell Knox (Scotland) 72 63 68, Richard Lee 67 68 68, Dicky pride 69 65 69, Kirk Triplett 68 67 68, Cliff Kresge 68 66 69, Steve Wheatcroft 70 67 66, Alistair Presnell (Australia) 71 64 68, Tommy Biershenk 67 70 66

Also

204 - DANNY LEE (NZ) 68 66 70

205 - BRAD ILES (NZ) 69 68 68

206 - TIM WILKINSON (NZ) 70 67 69

Missed cut

209 - JOSH GEARY (NZ) 68 70 71

214 - STEVE ALKER (NZ) 69 71 74

- NZPA