Sat Apr 26 06:47:05 2008

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Darren Clarke leads Asian Open

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Shanghai, China (Sports Network) - Seeking his first European Tour win in five years, Darren Clarke grabbed the lead at the Asian Open on Saturday with a five-under 67 in the third round.

Clarke, the five-time Ryder Cup star and 10-time European Tour winner from Northern Ireland, stood at nine-under 207 for a one-shot cushion over the Netherlands' Robert-Jan Derksen.

It was Clarke's first 54-hole lead on the European Tour since 2003. He hasn't won since the 2003 WGC-NEC Invitational.

"I am really looking forward to tomorrow," said Clarke. "I was in contention a few times at the start of the season, but it has been a while since I led and I am really looking forward to it and I just hope I can continue doing what I have been.

"I want to go out and play as well as I can, add the numbers up and hopefully it will be good enough."

Derksen, who shared the overnight lead with China's Zhang Lian-Wei, had a three-under 69 on Saturday and was at eight-under 208.

England's Robert Dinwiddie fired the best round of the day, a six-under 66 that vaulted him from a tie for 12th overnight into third place at seven-under 209.

Chinese Taipei's Lin Wen-Tang (69) was fourth at five-under 211, while amateur Hu Mu (71) was tops among the four remaining Chinese players at three-under 213.

Zhang, who became the first Chinese player to win on the European Tour when he beat Ernie Els at the 2003 Singapore Masters, shot a 76 and fell into a tie for 15th place at one-under 215.

Clarke had five birdies and no bogeys on Saturday, his last birdie at the 18th hole giving him his one-shot lead on Derksen.

Oddly, the 39-year-old Ulsterman and 17-year veteran of the European Tour is playing for the first time in China.

"People told me how good the course is, but when you come to a new course it takes you a few days to learn where you can and can't miss shots, where you can get away with things and that is part and parcel of tournament venues," said Clarke.

"Most of the places we go to I have been there before, but this is new to me and, yes, I am learning the course a bit. That is not to say I will shoot 65 tomorrow -- I would like to, though."

Several other big names in the field were well out of Clarke's way heading to the final round at Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club.

Two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen was at two-under 214; world No. 13 Henrik Stenson, the highest-ranked player in the field, stood at even-par 216; and former world No. 1 and two-time British Open champion Greg Norman was at one-over 217.