Geoff Ogilvy seized command of the Australian Open yesterday with another brilliant round at The Lakes in Sydney.
After opening with rounds of 68 and 65, Ogilvy fired a five-under-par 67 to move to 16-under for the tournament - five shots clear of the field - although Kiwi eyes will
again have fallen on Michael Campbell, still emerging from an unprecedented slump with a three-under round of 69 and in a tie for 17th at five under, 11 shots behind Ogilvy.
Sydney-raised, US-based Matt Jones (70) is Ogilvy's closest challenger at 11-under, with 1998 champion Greg Chalmers (66) and Alistair Presnell (67) seemingly the only other threats, both some seven shots off the pace.
John Senden (70) and first-round leader Matthew Griffin (72) are next best at nine-under.
Ogilvy, the 2006 US Open winner and two-times world matchplay champion, is in sizzling form. His lone third-round bogey came at the last, ending a hot streak of 39 holes without a blemish.
He started the day with a one-stroke lead over Jones but finished miles in front after picking up three birdies on the outward nine and another three coming home.
Jones, still seeking his maiden tour victory despite making a respectable living on the US PGA Tour, endured a frustrating afternoon on the greens.
Playing alongside Ogilvy, Jones had countless chances to make up ground on the runaway leader, only to repeatedly shave the cup. He mixed four birdies with three bogeys yet was still only one behind after six holes before Ogilvy shot away.
Chalmers surged into contention with a six-under 66, including a spectacular run of five successive birdies from the 10th to the 14th holes.
The left-hander drained a 25-footer on the 10th hole, then a 35-footer on the 12th before going to within a foot on 13 and 14. All up, Chalmers amassed eight birdies for the day.
Greg Norman returned a respectable two-under 70 but, at three-under overall, is no hope of snaring a sixth Open title, while defending champion Adam Scott is also out of contention after a one-over 73.
- AAP
