Asia's first major winner Yang Yong-eun put his trust in his driver and cut through gusting winds at the China Open Saturday to move to the top of the third round leaderboard with a bogey-free 68. The South Korean, one of only three players not to card a bogey in difficult conditions, holds a one-shot lead over Jamie Donaldson of Wales and Finn Mikko Ilonen going into the final round. Blustery breezes made the links-style holes particularly difficult for the players. Toughest of all was the 492-yard par-4 18th, playing straight into the wind. Several players strayed into fairway bunkers, while US Ryder captain Corey Pavin took his driver off the fairway but still pulled up short. Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee probably lost his chance of the title when he needed three shots to move his ball out of the rough on the right. The lead changed hands throughout the day, with Yang, Donaldson, Ilonen and overnight leader Kim Do-hoon of South Korea all finding themselves on top. The low round of the day came from Welshman Rhys Davies, whose bogey-free 65 included eagles on both the par-5s on the back nine and lifted him 53 places up the leaderboard. At eight-under-par he is six shots off the lead. Countryman Stephen Dodd was the day's other player to avoid a bogey and climbed the leaderboard with a 66 that left him tied for fifth with Kim on 10-under. Choi falters In South Carolina, a tiring Masters campaign caught up with K.J. Choi Friday as the South Korean surrendered the lead at the Heritage. England's Greg Owen and Americans Jim Furyk and Charles Howell seized the joint halfway lead on seven-under 135 Friday, as overnight leader Choi ballooned to a 74. Furyk carded a 68, Howell shot a 67 and Owen fired a 69 to take a one-shot lead over a group that included Australian Stuart Appleby and two-time Heritage champion Boo Weekley. Weekley, who won here in 2007 and 2008, carded a 68, marking the first time this season he has opened with two rounds under 70. Appleby, playing here for the first time since 1998, notched a 67, his lowest round of the year. South Korean 18-year-old Byeong-Hun An, the US Amateur champion, made the cut with a round that included an eagle on the par-five 15th. Nordqvist wins Sweden's Anna Nordqvist won the inaugural Mojo 6 Jamaica LPGA Invitational Friday, beating Amanda Blumenherst 1-up in the six-hole championship match. Three rounds of six-hole matches Thursday saw the field cut from 16 to eight. The quarterfinals launched three single-elimination rounds Friday. Nordqvist opened with a 2-up victory over Christina Kim, and then beat Cristie Kerr on the first extra hole in the semifinals. Blumenherst beat Brittany Lang 1-up in the quarter-finals, and triumphed over South Korean Na Yeon Choi on the first extra hole in the semifinals. Kerr beat Choi in the playoff for third place.
