GOLF: ABU DHABI GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
LEADER Pádraig Harrington insists he will be fully focussed on his own game as he looks to secure his first title of 2007 when the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship's final day gets under way today.
Last season's European Tour Order of Merit winner produced a sublime shot on the 18th that took him up to the green before making the putt for a birdie.
That moved the Dubliner to the top of the leaderboard with a four-under-par 68 for a 13-under 203 overall. His lead is a slender one, however, with Peter Hanson, who carded the best round of the day with a six-under 66, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Shiv Kapur all just one shot behind.
But a confident Harrington admitted he would not be looking at the scoreboard today to see how his competitors are fairing.
"I'm not going to look at anyone or anything other than myself, " said Harrington. "I've done particularly well. I've played three rounds of golf this week and I haven't managed to see a scoreboard once until the 18th green each day, so I certainly won't be looking at one individual out there.
"There are a couple of guys who can win this tournament, so I'm going to focus on my game and hopefully play nice and solidly and make them work hard to win it.
"I'm always trying to win but the main thing is just to watch what I'm doing and let everybody else look after themselves. Sometimes it is good to keep your head down and play your own game."
Overnight leader Phillip Price, who was grouped alongside Harrington and Kapur, made a nervy start by carding two bogeys in his first three holes.
Two more on the 14th and 16th saw him slide down the leaderboard but a birdie on the 18th means he is just two shots off the lead going into the final day on 11 under.
Paul Casey enjoyed his best round of the tournament so far to move on to 10 under par overall and back into contention.
The 29-year-old carded a faultless round that included five birdies for a fiveunder-par 67 and he was delighted with his display.
"That was a good round, " Casey said. "The goal was to get into double digits (under par) and I achieved that.
"It was a shame I didn't get another one at the last but a combination of a poor stroke and a grainy green meant I missed it comfortably. But I'm in there with a shout now."
Tournament debutant Retief Goosen made up for a disappointing display on Friday to join Casey on 10 under after carding six birdies and two bogeys for a four-underpar 68.
Defending champion Chris DiMarco enjoyed his best display yet to move onto a nineunder-par 207 overall.
The 38-year-old had made an indifferent start with his first nine holes, carding a birdie on the ninth and making par on the rest, but three birdies on the back nine ensured he shot a four-under 68 to remain in touch of the leading pack.
Earlier in the day, Harrington said that a shorter break from golf has helped his game in the new year. Harrington decided to take just one month off from golf as opposed to two and he admitted he has noticed the benefits.
"It is interesting, certainly after four weeks, " he said. "I want to play and I also don't feel as detached from the game as I would have after nine weeks. I still have a bit of feel around the greens. I still feel comfortable. There were a few mental errors but those creep in anyway. It definitely looks like it might be a better plan to take a shorter break."
Meanwhile, in the Asian Tour Airil Rizman Zahari of Malaysia leads by three shots after the third round of the Pakistan Open.
A solid round of 64 was goof enough to give him a nice cushion ahead of England's Simon Hurd and Scott Hend of Australia going into today's final round.
Elsewhere, Scotland stayed just within reach of the leaders after shooting 76 in the second day foursomes at the Women's World Cup of Golf at Sun City in South Africa yesterday. Mhairi McKay and Janice Moodie, in third place overnight, are seven shots off the lead held by Paraguay after a round of two birdies and six bogeys.
The Scots' total of five over par was five strokes better than Welsh pair Becky Morgan and Becky Brewerton, who combined for a disappointing 78, and seven better than England.
But the English duo of Laura Davies and Trish Johnson, out of sorts on the opening day of singles, did regain some pride with a 74 that was one of the best scores of the day. Paraguay's Julieta Granada and Celeste Troche birdied the 18th for a 75 to stand two under and four ahead of Italy's Giulia Sergas and Veronica Zorzi.
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