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Poulter takes four-shot lead in Madrid

17/09/2006

England's Ian Poulter will take a four-shot lead into the final round of the Madrid Open.

Poulter, who earlier this month missed out on a Ryder Cup place, fired eight birdies in the last 13 holes to card a third-round 64.

This gave him a decent cushion over his nearest challenger, Argentina's Ricardo Gonzalez, who shot a third successive five-under par 67, going into the final day.

"The fact I haven’t made a bogey this week is why I have a four shot lead here," Poulter said.

"I would think most guys have made a few and I have kept them off the card. When I have made a mistake then I have got myself out of it pretty well and I am rolling the ball really well, which makes a massive difference."

Elsewhere, Scotland's Gary Orr could not build on his second-round 65 as he carded a two-under par 70 to move to 14-under, alongside Sweden's Christian Nilsson, who shot a four-under par 68.

Ireland's Padraig Harrington also failed to capitalise on his good position at the halfway stage as he could only manage a level-par 72 to leave him on 12-under overall, level with England's Gary Evans, who shot a seven-under par 65.

His Ryder Cup teammate, Jose Maria Olazabal, shot his best round of the tournament, a five-under par 67, while Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke, playing in his first event since the death of his wife from cancer, carded a three-under par 69 to leave him 13 strokes off the lead.

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