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Casey in control in Abu Dhabi

2007 champion to take four-stroke lead into final round

Last updated: 17th January 2009

Casey: commanding lead

Third round leaderboard:
(GB & Ire unless stated)
P Casey -19
M Kaymer (Ger) -15
G Storm -14
A Wall -13

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Paul Casey will take a commanding four-shot lead into the final round of the Abu Dhabi Championship after a magnificent third round of 63 on Saturday.

The Englishman has not recorded a victory since winning this tournament two years ago, but now looks odds-on to end his trophy drought.

On 19-under-par, he stands four clear of defending champion Martin Kaymer (65) and a further stroke clear of overnight leader Graeme Storm who could do no better than a 69.

Another Englishman, Anthony Wall, has sole possession of fourth at 13-under-par while Swedes Johan Edfors and Peter Hanson and South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen find themselves seven shots off the pace in a tie for fifth.

Three-time major winner Padraig Harrington produced a bogey-free 68 to move to 11-under-par but looks to have left himself too much to do to catch red-hot Ryder Cup colleague at the head of the field.

Casey came within a stroke of the course record and once again it was his putter doing the damage for the most part.

The 31-year-old signalled his intentions with birdies at his first two holes to close the gap on playing partner Storm at the top of the leaderboard.

Ahead of him Kaymer turned up the heat with an eagle at the eighth, but with Storm unable to save his par at the seventh it was Casey who emerged as the new leader with back-to-back birdies at seven and eight.

The Englishman defied a wayward drive at the tenth to make further progress as he rolled in a 40-foot putt for his fifth birdie of the day and he began to pull clear with two more consecutive birdies at 12 and 13 as he climbed to 17-under-par.

He was not finished, though, and he rounded off a memorable day's work in some style with a birdie at 17 and another down the last after a delightful wedge had left him no more than 18 inches from the pin.

Fun

An ecstatic Casey said afterwards: "Something clicked. A good night's sleep seemed to cure the ball-striking ills. That was a lot of fun.

"I have not had a 63 in a long time. I just really like this course. I have fun when I'm walking round.

"I am not putting pressure on myself because it's early in the season. Low expectations - I'm just looking to chip off the rust.

"I had a couple of good breaks, but a couple of bad ones as well - and one of those (the 10th) I turned into a birdie.

"That was the turning point, I think. On the second shot (from beside a tree) I didn't know where the ball was going to go and I didn't know whether I would break my club."

As well as his eagle, Kaymer made five birdies and also kept a bogey off his card as he kept alive his hopes of retaining his crown.

'Race to Dubai' leader Sergio Garcia enjoyed a more productive day as he fired a 67 to move up to eight-under, one shot ahead of Colin Montgomerie who returned a two-under-par 70.

However, it was a disappointing day for joint-overnight leader Richard Green of Australia who blew his chances of victory with a disastrous four-over-par 76 that leaves him 12 shots off the pace