HONG KONG: Ryder Cup star Ian Poulter took command of the 2.5-million-dollar UBS Hong Kong Open after the third round Saturday, shooting a six-under-par 64 to lead by two shots from Graeme McDowell. Poulter's bogey-free round was the joint second-best score of the day as the flamboyant Englishman built on a one-stroke lead going into the weekend. US Open champion McDowell sits on his own in second place on 17-under after his round of 63, while England's Simon Dyson is in third, one shot further back. Poulter said he was relishing the prospect of Sunday's contest with Northern Ireland's McDowell. McDowell looks set to significantly close the gap on his rival Martin Kaymer at the top of the European Order of Merit, with the German skipping Hong Kong ahead of the season-ending 7.5-million-dollar Dubai World Championship. After embarking on a birdie blitz around the Fanling course on Friday in a career-best 60, Poulter found chances a little harder to come by as he finished 19-under overall. He picked up shots on the second and 13th, as well as an eagle three on the par five third. But it was his birdie-birdie finish, with putts of 12 feet on the penultimate hole and 18 feet at the last, that put the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play winner two clear of McDowell. Dyson, from England, produced a tidy round of 65 to sit third on 16-under, one ahead of Ulsterman Rory McIlroy and Anthony Kang of the USA. Noh Seung-yul regained his putting touch after a third round three-under-par 67 and believes he can put the Asian Tour Order of Merit fight out of reach for closest rival Marcus Fraser. The Korean teen star, the leader of the Asian money list, shot five birdies over his closing seven holes to move to the middle of the leaderboard. Fraser finished the day tied 11th after carding a three-under 67 for a 12-under-par total. He shot a 64 on Friday to make a significant move up the leaderboard. – Agence France
