ST ANDREWS, October 1, 2011 (AFP) - Northern Ireland's Michael Hoey edged clear of the field at the Dunhill Links Championship on Saturday, opening up a three-shot lead heading into the final round.
Hoey shot a 66 at Carnoustie to finish in the clubhouse on 18-under-par, ahead of compatriot Graeme McDowell on 15-under after the former US Open champion carded a 67 at St Andrews.
South Africa's former British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen is lurking four shots off the lead after posting a 69 at St Andrews, one ahead of seven golfers on 13-under including world number one Luke Donald and Rory McIlroy.
"Everything went very well today. My short game was unbelievable, the best it's ever been," said Hoey.
"Golf is very mental, you have to accept poor shots. It's great to be in the lead in a really big tournament but there's a long way to go."
A success for Hoey on Sunday would be another fine win for Northern Irish golf, which has enjoyed a string of notable successes in the past two years with Major victories for McDowell, McIlroy and Darren Clarke.
McDowell believes Hoey has the talent to match that elite group even if the 32-year-old has spent much of his career under the radar.
"Michael has always been a very talented player," McDowell said.
"He's a great ball-striker, a great swing. He has always had the talent and won the British Amateur in 2001 before playing on a winning Walker Cup side.
"It's a fine line between guys who go on to become the best in the world and guys who become journeymen pros. And you wouldn't say Michael is a journeyman, he's popped up twice and won on tour, and won well each time.
"When he applies himself and puts it all together he's as good as anyone out there. Why he doesn't put it together more often, who knows?"
One of the richest tournaments on the European Tour, the Dunhill Links is played over three different courses at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns before Sunday's final round at St Andrews.
Leading and selected third scores in the European Tour Alfred Dunhill Links Championship being played at the Old Course St. Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns on Saturday (GBR and IRL unless stated, par 72):
St Andrews Old Course
201 - Graeme McDowell 67-67-67
202 - Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) 66-67-69
203 - Rory McIlroy 70-67-66, Jaco Van Zyl (RSA) 67-67-69, Luke Donald 69-71-63, Simon Dyson 69-71-63, Padraig Harrington 68-71-64
204 - Charl Schwartzel (RSA) 69-69-66
205 - Lee Westwood 68-69-68
206 - Peter Hanson (SWE) 68-69-69, Colin Montgomerie 68-72-66
207 - Rafael Cabrera Bello (ESP) 66-69-72, James Morrison 67-69-71
208 - Victor Dubuisson (FRA) 71-72-65, Gregory Havret (FRA) 67-71-70, Simon Khan 70-70-68
Selected
209 - Tom Lewis 68-69-72
210 - Martin Kaymer (GER) 68-67-75, Matthew Griffin (AUS) 72-70-68
211 - Ernie Els (RSA) 72-69-70
Missed cut
213 - Gareth Paddison (NZL) 71-72-70, Matthew Zions (AUS) 73-70-70, George Coetzee (RSA) 72-69-72
214 - Miguel Angel Jimenez (ESP) 73-69-72
215 - Scott Hend (AUS) 74-69-72
216 - Retief Goosen (RSA) 72-70-74, Thomas Bjorn (DEN) 70-76-70
217 - Darren Clarke 73-74-70
218 - Mark Brown (NZL) 73-77-68
219 - Rohan Blizard (AUS) 76-70-73
222 - Steven Jones (AUS) 76-74-72
229 - Anthony Michael (RSA) 76-79-74
Carnoustie Course
198 - Michael Hoey 66-66-66
203 - Tommy Fleetwood 69-63-71
205 - Joost Luiten (NED) 72-68-65, Markus Brier (AUT) 66-68-71
207 - Steve Webster 68-68-71
208 - Alvaro Velasco (ESP) 74-67-67, Romain Wattel (FRA) 68-68-72, Paul Lawrie 71-68-69, Mathias Gronberg (SWE) 71-65-72, Tano Goya (ARG) 69-67-72, Fredrik Andersson Hed (SWE) 68-68-72
Selected
209 - Brett Rumford (AUS) 73-65-71
Missed cut
212 - James Kingston (RSA) 69-71-72, Daniel Gaunt (AUS) 69-65-78
214 - Keith Horne (RSA) 74-69-71
216 - Kieran Pratt (AUS) 75-69-72, Thongchai Jaidee (THA) 73-70-73
220 - Michael Campbell (NZL) 70-74-76
221 - Scott Strange (AUS) 76-71-74, Neil Schietekat (RSA) 73-71-77
223 - Marcus Both (AUS) 71-71-81, Todd Hamilton (USA) 72-71-80
233 - David Bransdon (AUS) 80-72-81
Kingsbarns Course
203 - George Murray 70-66-67
204 - Marc Warren 67-67-70
205 - Matt Haines 71-68-66, Danny Willett 73-65-67
206 - Jamie Donaldson 71-65-70, Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL) 70-67-69
207 - John Daly (USA) 71-67-69, Martin Wiegele (AUT) 70-69-68, Rhys Davies 74-69-64, Mark Foster 74-66-67
208 - Alex Haindl (RSA) 72-66-70, Oliver Wilson 72-69-67, David Horsey 69-68-71, Johan Edfors (SWE) 70-72-66
Selected
209 - Thomas Aiken (RSA) 73-68-68
210 - Andrew Dodt (AUS) 70-70-70
211 - Bronson La Cassie (AUS) 72-71-68, Sandy Lyle 69-70-72, Marcus Fraser (AUS) 77-66-68
Missed cut
212 - Michiel Bothma (RSA) 74-67-71, Peter O'Malley (AUS) 72-72-68
213 - Jbe Kruger (RSA) 72-67-74
216 - Andre Stolz (AUS) 73-71-72
217 - David McKenzie (AUS) 76-72-69, Peter Karmis (RSA) 75-67-75
220 - Pariya Junhasavasdikul (THA) 74-72-74, Josh Cunliffe (RSA) 76-72-72
222 - Aaron Townsend (AUS) 79-73-70