Pace poised for victory
South African Lee-Anne Pace, with a third-round 67, moved into a share of third place on eight under par, in the Dubai Ladies Masters at the Emirates Golf Club on Friday.
Pace, following opening rounds of 69 and 72, trails American teenager Alexis Thompson by two shots with just the final round to be played on Saturday.
Swede Sophie Gustafson is second on nine under par.
Pace, the defending order-of-merit champion who twice missed winning putts this year on the tour, posted a bogey-free round of five under par.
The 30-year-old picked up her first birdie of the round on the par five third hole, before another on the par four fifth, to go out in two under par.
On the back nine she added birdies at the 11th, 13th and 17th for a closing nine of three under.
Pace's iron play was impressive as she hit 16 greens in regulation, despite only finding five fairways.
With eight top-10 finishes this year, Pace will be eager to notch up a victory to add to the five she claimed in her breakthrough season in 2010, and said that a victory at the €500 000 tournament would be her biggest yet.
"It would be amazing. It's the win I've been looking for," Pace said. "It's a big one and I've played quite well in big events except the British Open and Evian (Masters) this year. So it would be absolutely amazing to finish and win."
One shot behind Pace is fellow South African Stacey Lee Bregman, whose third-round 68 vaulted her back into contention after falling back with a second-round one over par 73.
Bregman's four under score matched her score from the first round.
Overnight leader Thompson held on for a one-shot lead after sinking a birdie putt on the 18th for a 2-under 70.
The 16-year-old, the youngest LPGA Tour winner, is looking to become the second youngest winner on the European Tour, only three months after she won her first LPGA event in Alabama to make history on that tour.
"I hit it pretty well. I just left a few putts out there but a lot of girls are in contention so it will be a great day out there," Thompson said.
"I'm just going to try and make birdies throughout the whole day, play consistent. Pars, birdies nothing can be worse than that."
Thompson led by two shots going into the third round but she opened with a bogey after driving behind some trees and failing to make a 4-foot putt.
She pulled a shot back with a birdie on the third hole but couldn't shake the 38-year-old Gustafson. On the 18th, Thompson unleashed a 3-wood that cleared the water and landed on the edge of the green.
She missed a 35-foot eagle putt but still birdied the hole.
"Once I saw the drive, I was like, all right, I probably can go for it from there and it was 212 (yards) to the pin," Thompson said. "I figured my 3-wood for sure was going to get there ... I was pretty much like, 'Let's just hit it. You've been hitting it pretty good, so just got to be confident.'"
Looking for her first tour win of the year, Gustafson said she was happy with a round that included five birdies to go with two bogeys.
The Swede had a chance to keep pace with Thompson on the 18th but missed a 10-foot birdie putt.
"Started off a bit iffy but figured it out pretty quick and was solid from there," Gustafson said. "Obviously Lexi is going to be hard to beat. But if I can keep playing well, then I think I have a good chance."
It was another inconsistent day for Michelle Wie (71), who is five shots off the pace at 5 under.
Struggling much of the year with poor play that has seen her drop to 17th in the world rankings, Wie dropped a shot on the front nine before carding all her three birdies to go with a bogey on the back.
"It's pretty frustrating," the American said. "But at least I made a birdie on the last hole, made me feel good about myself. But tomorrow I just got to go out there and really shoot low."
LEADING THIRD-ROUND SCORES
206 – Alexis Thompson (USA) 70 66 70
207 – Sophie Gustafson (SWE) 71 67 69
208 – Lee-Anne Pace (SA) 69 72 67, Pernilla Lindberg (SWE) 72 68 68
209 – Stacy Lee Bregman (SA) 68 73 68, Becky Morgan (WAL) 70 69 70, Julieta Granada (PAR) 68 71 70
211 – Michelle Wie (USA) 73 67 71
212 – Alison Walshe (USA) 70 74 68, Veronica Zorzi (ITA) 74 70 68, Caroline Hedwall (SWE) 75 69 68, Carlota Ciganda (ESP) 71 72 69, Maria Verchenova (RUS) 69 74 69, Liebelei Elena Lawrence (LU) 70 72 70, Linda Wessberg (SWE) 68 73 71, Margherita Rigon (ITA) 70 68 74
213 – Louise Stahle (SWE) 72 70 71, Florentyna Parker (ENG) 72 70 71, Diana Luna (ITA) 69 73 71, Beth Allen (USA) 69 72 72
214 – Nontaya Srisawang (THA) 74 69 71, Kylie Walker (SCO) 72 70 72, Sara Brown (USA) 71 71 72, Christel Boeljon (NL) 69 72 73, Lotta Wahlin (SWE) 66 74 74
215 – Anna Nordqvist (SWE) 75 72 68, Lydia Hall (WAL) 72 74 69, Carin Koch (SWE) 73 73 69, Giulia Sergas (ITA) 75 69 71, Hannah Jun (USA) 73 70 72, Melissa Reid (ENG) 72 71 72, Georgina Simpson (ENG) 72 70 73, Elisabeth Esterl (GER) 70 71 74
216 – Nikki Garrett (AUS) 72 75 69, Caroline Westrup (SWE) 70 76 70, Carmen Alonso (ESP) 73 73 70, Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA) 72 72 72, Caroline Afonso (FRA) 70 74 72, Dewi Claire Schreefel (NL) 74 69 73, Minea Blomqvist (FIN) 68 73 75
Selected
219 – Tandi Cuningham (SA) 69 78 72
Report Day 1
Report Day 2
Additional reporting: Sapa