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Fasth holds on to BMW International Open lead

23/06/2007

Swedish golfer Niclas Fasth holds a share of the lead at eleven under par with Jose-Filipe Lima going into the final round of the BMW International Open in Munich.

The pair hold a two-shot lead over British hope Nick Dougherty, with David Frost and Frenchman Thomas Levet also standing on nine under.

The world number 28 was rarely able to scale the heights he achieved in his second round 65, but the Ryder Cup star achieved a birdie at the last hole to card a 73.

Fasth had set the pace in the initial stages of his third round, leading by three shots after birdying the opening hole, but four bogeys over the next four holes marred his progress.

The 25-year-old rejected notions that his mid-round slump may have been contributed to his exertions in last week's US Open in which he finished a creditable fourth.

"I might well have felt more energetic if I'd had a week off but I've cut back on practice and made a little bit of a compromise this week and I'm still strong," he said.

Lima, who has remained in contention for the title since hitting a 65 in the opening round, which would be his first since victory in the 2004 St Omer Open, said that he had "stuck to the same gameplan all week".

"If I missed some shots or putts I tried to forget it and get on with it," he told Reuters.

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