Unheralded Australian Sam Brazel shot a three-under 67 to grab a share of the lead with playing partner Rafa Cabrera Bello after the third round of the Hong Kong Open at Fanling Saturday. Ranked 480th in the world, Brazel soared up the leaderboard with three birdies on the back nine as Spaniard Cabrera Bello, who had led by three strokes overnight, endured a roller-coaster even par round at the European Tour co-sanctioned event. The pair were locked on an 11-under total of 199, two strokes ahead of Englishman Tommy Fleetwood heading into the final round. US Masters champion Danny Willett battled through an errant back nine littered with four bogeys to finish the day six strokes adrift of the leaders after shooting a 71. Playing in the final group of the day, Cabrera Bello and Brazel strode down the par-four 18th fairway tied after both found the green safely with their second shots. Cabrera Bello fell just short on a long birdie attempt and tapped in for a par, and Brazel did the same with an easier 15-foot uphill putt. "There's been a lot of positives and a lot of negatives," said Cabrera Bello, chasing his first win on the tour in four years. "The good thing is I am still in it and I'm still leading with Sam." Cabrera Bello had played near-flawless golf in the opening days but struggled to hit a fairway on Saturday and surrendered the lead with a double-bogey on the par-four 14th. Shanking his tee-shot into trees on the right, the Spaniard tried to bash his way through to the green rather than take a drop and the shot ricocheted behind him. After tapping in for six, he put the setback behind him by draining a monster birdie putt on the next hole for birdie to grab back a share of the lead. Brazel put a 111-yard approach to within three feet of the pin on the 16th for a birdie to break clear but Cabrera Bello reeled him back in on the next hole, rolling in a birdie from 10 feet. Justin Rose's hopes of sustaining a weekend challenge evaporated quickly, with the former US Open winner 10 strokes adrift after shooting a 70. Fellow Englishman Ian Poulter was a further two adrift after a 71. Kuchar, English take lead Matt Kuchar and Harris English fired a combined six-under-par 66 Friday to take a one-shot lead in the Franklin Templeton Shootout pairs event in Florida. Kuchar and English moved to 21-under after two rounds, one clear of Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly who carded a four-under-par combined 68 in the modified alternate shot format at Tiburon golf Club. Kuchar and English's round sets up an intriguing final day battle in Saturday's better ball. Harris and Rio Olympics bronze medalist Kuchar won the event in their first start together in 2013 and finished as runners up in 2014 and 2015. Kelly and Stricker, meanwhile, are playing together for a record eighth time and are aiming to emulate their victory in 2009. Kelly also won while partnering Rod Pampling ten years ago. Charles Howell and South African Rory Sabbatini were third along with Kevin Chappell and Kevin Kisner, who are on 16 under after two rounds. A shot back were Charley Hoffman and Billy Horschel along with Smylie Kaufman and Justin Thomas on 15-under. Meanwhile Lexi Thompson and Bryson DeChambeau were sitting in 10th at 11-under after a second round 71. Thompson, a seven-time winner on the LPGA Tour, is only the second woman to compete in the event following Annika Sorenstam's appearance with Fred Couples in 2006. Thompson, who delighted the Tiburon galleries Thursday with a brilliant eagle on the 18th, once again drew one of the biggest cheers of the day with a 16-foot birdie putt on the par-three eighth hole. — Agencies
