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Bourdy and Noren edge ahead
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Bourdy and Noren edge ahead

Gregory Bourdy continued his impressive weekend charge to join Alex Noren in front at the Maybank Malaysian Open.

Gregory Bourdy

The Frenchman, who birdied five of his first six holes during the third round on Saturday, reeled off four in a row from the third.

He did then bogey the eighth, but a birdie at the long tenth took him to 14 under for the week with eight holes to play.

Because of six hours play being lost to weather over Friday and Saturday, there was no redraw for the final round which meant Bourdy was increasingly likely to set the clubhouse target.

Earlier overnight leader Rory McIlroy had been overtaken firstly by Italian teen sensation Matteo Manassero and then by Noren.

Starting the day two clear, the 21 year old Northern Irishman extended his lead to three with a birdie at the par five tenth - his first off the day after the leaders only managed nine holes of their round on Saturday.

But he needed four shots to get down from the fringe at the 15th and a double bogey five cost him his advantage.

Manassero added three more birdies on his return for a 69, while Noren found the green at the par four 16th with a three wood and eagled.

Noren began his final round with two gains in his first three holes to be level with Bourdy through six.

Manassero was one further back, along with Spaniard Rafael Cabrera Bello, who was absolutely flying with three birdies and an eagle in his first eight holes.

Ominously his only previous European Tour title came when he finished with a 60 at the Austrian Golf Open.

McIlroy was 11 under for the week through five, with Chile's Felipe Aguilar one further back.

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