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McDowell's final-hole double-bogey gives Singh hope

15/03/2008

Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell doubled-bogeyed the 18th hole at the Ballantine's Championship in South Korea giving his challengers renewed hope.

McDowell now shares the lead of the tournament with India's Jeev Milkha Singh on 18-under-par heading into the final round.

The overnight leader had been pulling away from the field with a sensational run of scoring only to overshoot the final green. He was forced to take a drop and that eventually cost him two strokes.

Until then the Irishman had scored six birdies and an eagle and had thought he had done enough to enjoy his final round but good putting from Singh put the pressure back on McDowell.

Singh made five successive birdies between the seventh and 11th holes and finished with a round of 64, and McDowell claims it was this pressure which made him attack the 18th green.

McDowell said: "When I was six under par through the front nine, I thought I might have a good chance to put the tournament sort of in my hands.

"And then Jeev ran off five straight through the turn and I realised I was going to have a fight on my hands, and threw in a couple birdies of my own on the back nine.

"Obviously I had a very disappointing finish. I tried to cut a little five iron in there and double crossed it, and made six."

The pair will now battle it out for the championship on the final day with Ireland's Paul McGinley also hoping to overtake them, although the third-placed man is four shots adrift heading into the final round.