SHANGHAI — Ryder Cup teammates Rory McIlroy and Peter Hanson remained ahead of the pack Saturday in tricky conditions at Lake Malaren Golf Club to set up a final round duel in the $7 million BMW Masters. Hanson, who led on 14-under par going into the third round of the flagship European Tour event in China, found a chilly overcast day with a shifting wind much harder for low scoring and followed his magnificent Friday round of 64 with a steady 70 to move to 16 under. It enabled world No. 1 McIlroy, playing alongside Hanson in the final group, to pull within one shot with a three-under par 69 to leave him on 15 under for the tournament. The Swede was clearly relishing his battle with McIlroy and added: “It's just great also to play alongside Rory, and every chance you get to compete with the world No. 1 it is just a fantastic thing to do.” McIlroy is two shots clear of South Africa's George Coetzee in third and a further two shots back to a group of six players that includes the English pair of world No. 3 Luke Donald who carded a four-under 68 and No. 5 Justin Rose (69). Nicolas Colsaerts, another Ryder Cup star, looked at one stage as if he was going to join them in Sunday's final group, but a disastrous finish of two consecutive double bogeys at 16 and 17 dropped him back into the pack. In a matter of minutes the big-hitting Belgian had tumbled from being right in the mix at 14-under par to being back in the chasing pack at 10-under par and in a tie for 10th place. Also on that mark was 2010 US Open champion and Ryder Cup star Graeme McDowell, who had a welcome return to form with one of the best rounds of the day, a six-under par 66. On a good day for Asia's golfers, Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand carded the low round of the day with a seven-under 65 while local boy Wu Ashun thrilled the vociferous Chines galleries with a hole-in-one at the 156-yard sixth hole on his way to a 69. Park leads Taiwan Park In-bee of South Korea shot an 8-under 64 to lead the Taiwan Championship by two strokes after the third round Saturday. Park had two eagles and five birdies to total 18-under 198 at the Sunrise Golf and Country Club. Suzann Pettersen of Norway holed six birdies in a 66 to sit in second place, two shots ahead of defending champion Yani Tseng (66), the top-ranked Taiwanese player. Catriona Matthew of Scotland was fourth after a 68, six strokes off the pace. Christie Kerr (67) of the US is a further two shots back. — Agencies
