Barry Lane trimmed a stroke off the course record at the remodelled De Vere Belfry to set up the opportunity of a first victory on The European Tour International Schedule since 1994. The 41 year old fired a seven under par 65 to lead the Benson and Hedges International Open by two strokes from fellow Englishman, Greg Owen.
Lane, bidding for a fifth title, 14 years after his breakthrough success in The Scottish Open, goes into the final day on 206, ten under par, while Owen – the first and second round leader – regrouped after a shaky front nine to shoot a two under par 70 for a 54 hole total of 208.
Victory in the final round would enable Lane to bury the memories of his singles match against Chip Beck in the 1993 Ryder Cup at The De Vere Belfry when he lost a three hole lead and suffered a last green defeat.
Lane’s charge gathered momentum at the ninth hole when his 164 yard eight iron second flew straight into the hole for a remarkable eagle two. That carried him to the turn in just 30 strokes and he came home in 35 to set the new course record.
"I was aiming for it, I suppose," he said.. "But if it had hit the flagstick an inch higher it might have gone either in the bunker or the water. That's the luck of the draw and I'm really looking forward to tomorrow. It would mean an awful lot to me to win again."
His last success came in the Turespana Open de Baleares in 1994, while he also carried off the one million dollar first prize in the old-style ~Accenture World Match Play Championship in Arizona. Twice since then he has failed to finish in Europe's top 100.
The back nine was not as exciting, but after a bogey at the short 12th he birdied the two par fives, the 15th and 17th, to reach ten under par. He added: “The par fives have been the key. I’ve made two eagles and birdied every other one. I lost a bit of enthusiasm around 1997 through to 2001 but I started playing much better last year and I am going to enjoy myself tomorrow.”
Owen, still searching for his first European Tour victory, moved within a stroke of Lane after picking up three birdies on the back nine, but a dropped shot at the 16th forced him back to eight under par, but still in the final group on the course on the final day.
“At halfway I expected a few more to be making a push for the lead but I’m pleased to finish in second place and get into the last group. I lost my swing on the front nine but couldn’t hole anything. On the back nine I holed out really well.”
Another player with experience of The Ryder Cup at The De Vere Belfry in 1993, Peter Baker, has an opportunity to get back into the winner’s circle. The Midlander recorded a round of 70 for 209, seven under par, the same score as Argentina’s Angel Cabrera, who make a notable move with a round of 68.
Michael Campbell of New Zealand holds fifth place on 210, but it was a case of what might have been for the Kiwi. He picked up birdies at the 15th and 17th to emulate Owen’s feat of getting within a stroke of Lane, but he came to grief at the treacherous 18th, running up a triple bogey seven after driving to the water.
Colin Montgomerie and Roger Wessels, who shared the lead with Owen at halfway, struggled to make a forward move and had to settle for rounds of 73 and totals of 211.
