MACAU, September 17, 2011 (AFP) - Taiwan's Chan Yih-shin fired a third round three-under-par 68 at the Macau Open Saturday to stay on track for a second Asian Tour victory.
Chan was tied with Joonas Granberg of Finland after 17 holes but birdied the last to take the outright lead with a 12-under-par 201 total at the Macau Golf and Country Club.
Granberg carded a 68 to lie one stroke off the lead in the $750,000 Asian Tour event.
South Korean Mo Joong-Kyung, a two-time Asian Tour winner, fired a blistering 65 courtesy of some solid iron play and a hotter putter to tie in third place with Rikard Karlberg of Sweden, who returned with 68.
Chan made a fast start with birdies on holes two and three to turn in 33. He dropped his first shot of the day on the 12th hole but swiftly recovered with birdies on 13 and 18, where he sank a pivotal birdie from eight feet.
"It has been almost two years since I led in an Asian Tour event and I'm feeling excited. I'll be lying if I said I'm not feeling the pressure. I might be smiling on the outside but in honest truth the pressure is really mounting inside," said the 34-year-old Chan.
"There are many players who still have a chance to overtake me. I missed many birdie opportunities out there and will need to ensure I don't make the same mistakes again."
Asian Tour rookie Granberg led the tournament for the first time with a birdie on 12 but slipped back with bogeys on 13 and 14. He birdied 15 and 17 to put himself back into contention and believes it will be tight race to the finish line.
"It doesn't matter if I'll be chasing the leader. I need to concentrate on my own game. The last four holes will be very important and that will decide who will win," said the 24-year-old.
The fast charging Mo played with a blister on his left toe but it did not stop him from making 23 putts in a round of seven birdies against one bogey to give himself a chance of ending a three-year title drought.
"I knew anything can happen if I shot a good number and now I have another chance to give a chase," said the 40-year-old.
India's Jeev Milkha Singh, a two-time Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, Zaw Moe of Myanmar, Australian Adam Groom and highly rated Thanyakon Khrongpha of Thailand were tied in fifth place on 206, five shots off the lead.
Leading third round scores at the $750,000 Macau Open on Saturday:
201 - Chan Yih-shin (TPE) 66-67-68
202 - Joonas Granberg (FIN) 72-62-68
203 - Mo Joong-Kyung (KOR) 70-68-65, Rikard Karlberg (SWE) 66-69-68
206 - Zaw Moe (MYN) 69-70-67, Jeev M Singh (IND) 68-68-70, Thanyakon Khrongpha (THA) 70-66-70, Adam Groom (AUS) 67-69-70
207 - David Gleeson (AUS) 71-70-66, Wang Ter-chang (TPE) 67-73-67, Jbe Kruger (RSA) 70-68-69
208 - Martin Rominger (SUI) 69-71-68, Adilson Da Silva (BRA) 71-69-68, Gaganjeet Bhullar (IND) 72-68-68, Rick Gibson (CAN) 71-67-70, Thaworn Wiratchant (THA) 70-67-71
Selected scores:
215 - Zhang Lianwei (CHN) 71-71-73