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Murless continues to lead

12/01/2008

Mark Murless carded a round of two-under-par in the third round of the Johannesburg Open to maintain his lead of the tournament with one round to go.

Murless is two shots ahead of compatriot Tyrone Ferreira who also shot a 69 to stay in contact with the leader.

Darren Clarke is now just three shots off the lead on eight-under after a third round of 67 helped to propel him up the leaderboard.

However the round of the day came from England's Ross McGowan who rose from 41st overnight to tied for fifth place along with Clarke and five others thanks to a round of 64.

Murless had another steady round on day three of the event. He claimed two birdies on the front nine and completed the back nine in even par after making two birdies and two bogies.

But the South African managed to drag himself out of trouble on the final hole. Having dropped a shot on the 17th Murless' lead was just one stroke.

The home favourite then managed to get a birdie on the 18th green to reinstate his two-shot cushion heading into the final day.

Murless said he didn't know what had happened to his form at the halfway stage of his third round.

"I felt really good and hit everything nice and solid until about the turn. Then, for some reason, I started to struggle a little bit," he explained.

With nine men within three shots of his lead Murless will have to produce another good final round if he is to secure the tournament win.