Marcus Fraser put himself in line to make a dream return from injury as he takes a one shot lead over fellow Australian Scott Hend into the final round of the Hong Kong Open.
The two-time European Tour winner has been out since February with a hand injury, but birdied four of his last six holes in Fanling to shoot a third round 65 for an 11 under par total.
That was one ahead of Hend, who bravely parred the last from ten feet for a 67, with Mark Foster, Jbe Kruger and Angelo Que tied for third on nine under.
Overnight leader Ernie Els dropped off the pace when he hooked his tee shot into bushes down the ninth and ran up a double bogey six.
An eagle from three feet at the 13th and a birdie from close range at the next seemed to have got the four-time Major winner from South Africa back on track, but bogeys at the 15th and 18th, where his approach flew the green, saw him shoot a one over 71 and drop into a tie for sixth.
“Nobody’s more surprised than I am that’s for sure,” said the 36 year old Fraser, who having bogeyed the opening hole then had six unanswered gains.
“After eight months of sitting on the couch – it hasn’t been the best eight months but when you play like that it makes it worthwhile.
“Practice last week felt really good so I felt like I was heading in the right direction, finally, after I started practicing six or seven weeks ago.
“It was going okay but then last week it felt like everything fell into place but then coming out and playing a tournament is just a completely different thing so after not playing for eight months I wasn’t too sure what to expect. To come and play the way I did on the back nine today was pretty pleasing.
“I think I’ve had three top tens here in the past and I was third a couple of years ago – I just love the golf course and wish I could take this course every week we play; I think it’s the best golf course we play all year.
“It’s just a proper golf course where you have to play well and stay out of trouble, and you need to hole putts – I’m pretty sure that’s the way the game was designed and it’s a credit to the way they’ve turned it out this week, it’s in the bet condition I’ve ever seen it.
“I had no idea going into the week and I’ve no idea going into tomorrow. Hopefully I’ll keep playing the way I’m playing and I feel pretty comfortable out there at the moment.
“I’d forgotten how much fun it is to play golf tournaments, especially being in the mix it’s good fun.”
Els believes he still has a chance going into Sunday despite falling from two ahead to three behind.
“It was a little hectic, especially the ninth hole,” said Els. “I tried a couple of things and they didn’t come off but I don’t see there’s any reason not to still go for it.
“I need something low obviously, but I’d like to go really low just for my own wishes.”
Only the top 110 players on The Race to Dubai after next week’s ISPS Handa Perth International will keep their cards for next season, and the player right on the bubble – 110th-placed Lucas Bjerregaard – put himself in a good position to ease some of the tension with a 67 that left him just outside the top ten on six under.
