Day 3 Updates - Saturday, 30 January 2010

11.30am Amateur sets early pace

Western Australian Matt Jager, the only amateur to make the cut, has made a hot start to the third round. He is 3-under after six holes to move to 6-under for the tournament.

Joining him is American Jin Park, who is 4-under today through 15 holes to also move to 6-under.

Former PGA Tour winner Mark Hensby (Australia) has birdied two of his first four holes to move to 5-under, as has top rating American Casey Wittenberg and Australian Andrew Martin.

The leaders Robert Gates, Andrew Dodt and DJ Brigman are off at 12.50pm.

Early morning light rain has given way to another fine day at The Hills.

12.30pm Americans fly flag

Americans fill eight of the top 13 spots early on round three at The Hills today. Michael Curtain birdied his first hole to move to 8-under while Aaron Watkins, Dave Schultz and Justin Hicks have all made ground over the early holes.

Bradley Keegan is the biggest mover moving to 7-under after making three birdies in his first seven holes.

Josh Geary leads the New Zealanders, currently one-under today to move to 7-under and a share of eighth place after making birdie on his first hole.

David Smail is even today after five holes to remain at 5-under while Brad Iles is one over and also on 5-under for the tournament.

The leaders tee off at 12.50pm

1.30pm Leader holds

Overnight leader Robert Gates (USA) birdied the opening hole to move to 13-under and retain his lead by one shot from Andrew Dodt (AUS) who also made an early birdie.

Former Open champion Peter O'Malley got to 4-under today and move into the top-3 before giving up a shot to be on 8-under and a share of seventh.

Australian Michael Curtain has moved to a share of third place on 10-under for the tournament with three birdies in his opening four holes.

Australians Andrew Dodt, Michael Curtain, Peter O’Malley and Mark Hensby are zeroing in on leader Robert Gates midway through their round.

Hensby, the former PGA Tour winner, has the current low-round at five-under par through 15 holes with five birdies without blemish. He is at 8-under in a share of fifth.

Dodt is one-under after six holes to be at 12-under, one shot behind leader Gates. Curtain had four birdies in the first five holes to move to 11-under , alone in third place.

Former NZ Open champion Peter O’Malley is also four-under after 12 holes to be in fourth place on 9-nder.

Best of the New Zealanders is Phil Tataurangi at 8-under for the tournament in a share of fifth place.

3.30pm Moving day at The Hills

Australians Mark Hensby and Michael Curtin, American Jamie Lovemark and kiwi Phil Tataurangi continued their move up the leaderboard today.

Hensby, the former PGA Tour winner, is the best at six-under par on the final hole, with three birdies on each nine, to move to a share of fourth place on 9-under.

Curtain is in third place on 10-under after four birdies and one dropped shot, while Lovemark has made three birdies in a row to move to the log-jamb on 9-under.

Tataurangi is playing very steadily, mixing three birdies with one bogey to also move to 9-under.

Overnight leader Robert Gates remains in the lead at 14-under, two shots clear of Andrew Dodt (Australia).

4.30pm Gates clings on

Overnight leader Robert Gates (USA) remains two shots clear after 12 holes in the third round. He has two birdies to his credit today to be at 14-under par, two shots ahead of Australians Michael Curtain and Andrew Dodt. Curtain has mixed six birdies with one dropped shot to move to the share of second place.

Mark Hensby is the clubhouse leader on 9-under after his outstanding six-under 66 to be joined in fourth place by leading kiwi Phil Tataurangi and American Martin Piller, last year's runner-up.

Next best of the New Zealanders is David Smail who has finished with a one-under 71 today to be currently in a share of 16th place on six-under for the tournament.

5pm Gates opens up

American Robert Gates has opened a three shot lead late in his third round at The Hills. After a bogey at the 11th hole, Gates has made three birdies in a row to move to 16-under par through 14 holes.

He is now three shots clear of Australia's Andrew Dodt, with a further two shots back to compatriot Michael Curtain.

Phil Tataurangi is the leading kiwi in a share of fourth place on nine-under with Mark Hensby. Tataurangi moved to fourth place on his own after a birdie on the 14th Party Hole, but gave it straight back with a bogey at the par-3 14th.

Americans Kelly Grunewald and Jamie Lovemark share sixth place currently, both shooting three-under 69s to move to eight-under.

David Smail is currently in a share of 15th place on six-under after he shot one-under 71 today while Brad Iles, two-over par after 12 holes today, made two birdies in his final four holes including a brilliant effort on the 18th to get back to even-par 72 for the day. He is currently in a share of 15th at six-under along with Smail.

6pm American retains lead

American Robert Gates will take a three shot lead into tomorrow's final round of the Michael Hill New Zealand Open.

He made a brilliant four birdies in a row mid-way through the back nine to break clear of the field, although he gave one back on the tough 18th to finish on 16-under par.

Australian Andrew Dodt also dropped a shot at the last hole to finish at 14-under par in second place, two shots clear of compatriot Michael Curtain on 11-under.

Best of the New Zealanders is Phil Tatauranga wjho is in a share of seventh place on eight-under after firing a one-under 71. He was disappointed after moving to 10-under to drop shots at the 16th and 17th holes to stunt his push up the leaderboard.

Brad Iles and David Smail are the next best of the kiwis, sharing 16th place on six-under after the fired even par 72 and one-under 71 respectively.

Josh Geary is a shot back on five-under after a disappointing one-over 73 despite a bright start to his round on what he hoped was moving day.

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