Lockerbie, Liang in share of lead

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SINGAPORE -- Britian's Gary Lockerbie and China's Liang Wen-chong moved into a share of the lead on 12-under-par after the third round of the Singapore Masters.

Liang, who led after the first round, birdied the 18th for a four-under 68 to join Lockerbie one stroke clear of the field at the Laguna National Golf Club after the Englishman had bogeyed the last to complete his three-under 69.

"On 18, I struck it well off the tee, hit my wedge to within 20 feet and sank the putt for a good finish," said Liang.

"The most important thing for me was to get into the final group (for Sunday)... I am happy I managed it and all I want to do is enjoy the atmosphere out on the course in the closing round," added Liang, who is seeking a first victory outside China.

Overnight leader Jyoti Randhawa of India stands alone in third place on 11-under, with Malaysia's Iain Steel and Ireland's Peter Lawrie a further shot adrift in a tie for fourth.

Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee and Britain's Simon Dyson share sixth place on nine-under at the $1.1 million European and Asian Tour event.

For much of the day, Randhawa and Steel were battling it out for the lead, while Liang and Lockerbie were quietly moving up the leaderboard as the top-two faltered on the back nine.

The 28-year-old Liang registered six birdies and two bogeys and did well to recover from a dropped shot on the first hole that left him four shots behind the leader.

Lockerbie, a European Challenge Tour graduate, surged into the outright lead with four birdies and four pars on the back nine before he missed his six-foot par putt on the last.

"I would have taken a 69 today so am just trying to forget about the dropped shot on the last," Lockerbie said.

"I will try and get off to a steady start on Sunday and not try to do anything fancy because I don't expect a very low score to win the event," added the unheralded 24-year-old, whose best performance as a professional was a tie for fifth at last month's Malaysian Open.

Steel began his round in a tie for third place on nine-under par for the tournament and wasted little time overhauling Randhawa with four straight birdies to open his round and move clear of the field.

The New Delhi-born Randhawa also started well and picked up a shot on the par-four third hole but back-to-back bogeys from the fourth dropped him three shots behind the new leader.

After looking comfortable for most of the round, the 35-year-old Steel stumbled on the closing holes, offsetting two birdies with four bogeys and a double-bogey to be swamped by the chasing pack.

Randhawa was first to pounce and three birdies in four holes from the seventh took him back ahead of the field before he too stumbled down the stretch with a pair of bogeys on the back nine.

Also making a significant move up the leaderboard was 2005 champion Nick Dougherty of Britain, who registered seven birdies in a six-under-par 66 to stand four shots off the pace after squeezing into the weekend on the cut-line of two-under-par.

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