Jimenez seeking to become European Tours oldest winner winfree
Rory McIlroy may have already wrapped up the money list title, but two veteran golfers have much to play for on the final day of the European Tour season's penultimate event in Hong Kong.
Miguel Angel Jimenez, at 48 seeking to become the tour's oldest winner, finished the third round tied for the lead with 43-year-old Michael Campbell -- whose last victory came in 2005, the year he won his only major.
'I love to be in contention. It's been a long time since I've been there,' said Jimenez, who has won 11 of his 18 European Tour titles since turning 40 but has not triumphed in more than two years.
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Jimenez, who was one of Jose Maria Olazabal's vice-captains in Europe's Ryder Cup victory in September, carded two-under-par 68 to join Campbell on 10-under 200 overall in a tournament he won in 2004 and 2007.
No. 1 McIlroy misses the cut in HK
Irishman Des Smyth was 48 years and 34 days old when he won the Madeira Island Open in 2001, while Jimenez will turn 49 on January 5.
'I like to be in contention on this golf course and you have to have patience and let everything happen,' said the Spaniard, who led after a first-round 65.
'That's what's going to happen tomorrow, stay patient because anyone can win.'
Campbell is resurrecting his career this year, having fallen out of the top 1,000 rankings at one stage following his breakthrough win at the U.S. Open and subsequent victory at the World Match Play Championship later in 2005.
'Today was sort of scrappy; apart from a couple of drives, it was pretty average really,' said the New Zealander, who is now ranked 339th.
He is 83rd in the Race To Dubai standings following a third-place finish in Portugal last month, but outside the top 60 who qualify for the season-ending World Tour Championship in Dubai.
'I just managed to grind out a score, which is very important with me not playing so well. I turned a 73 into a 69, which is always nice,' said Campbell, who led by one shot at the halfway stage while defending champion McIlroy missed the cut.
'Miguel is playing great golf, and he's won this twice before and he's the man to beat.'
They have a one-shot lead from young Italian star Matteo Manassero -- who won last weekend in Singapore as McIlroy wrapped up a money list double -- and China's Zhang Lian-wei.
'Last week really made me relax a lot on the golf course, and these three rounds and my position coming into this Sunday is certainly due to and what happened last week - I've got more freedom,' said the 19-year-old Manassero, who shot 64 on Saturday to surge up 10 places.
Zhang matched Campbell's 69, but Sweden's Fredrik Andersson Hed dropped back to fifth on 202 after a 70.
Two more veterans were three shots behind the leaders, with 38-year-old Irishman Peter Lawrie tied with 42-year-old Dane Anders Hansen as both seek to end a wait of more than three years for their second and third respective European Tour titles.
Meanwhile, Sweden's Henrik Stenson took a three-shot lead into Sunday's final round of the SA Open.
The 36-year-old was being chased by South Africa's George Coetzee, who fired nine-under 63 to hold hopes of winning his national title and his first on the European Tour.
Ryder Cup winner Ian Poulter will battle with home hope Adam Scott in the final round of the Australian Masters, as the Englishman held a one-shot lead in his bid to follow up his win at the WGC-HSBC Champions tournament in China earlier this month.
Former world No. 1 Luke Donald of England took a four-shot lead into Sunday's final 18 holes at the Dunlop Phoenix tournament in Japan.
The 36-year-old was being chased by South Africa's George Coetzee, who fired nine-under 63 to hold hopes of winning his national title and his first on the European Tour. 'I just managed to grind out a score, which is very important with me not playing so well. I turned a 73 into a 69, which is always nice,' said Campbell, who led by one shot at the halfway stage while defending champion McIlroy missed the cut. He is 83rd in the Race To Dubai standings following a third-place finish in Portugal last month, but outside the top 60 who qualify for the season-ending World Tour Championship in Dubai. 'That's what's going to happen tomorrow, stay patient because anyone can win.' Miguel Angel Jimenez, at 48 seeking to become the tour's oldest winner, finished the third round tied for the lead with 43-year-old Michael Campbell -- whose last victory came in 2005, the year he won his only major. Zhang matched Campbell's 69, but Sweden's Fredrik Andersson Hed dropped back to fifth on 202 after a 70. Two more veterans were three shots behind the leaders, with 38-year-old Irishman Peter Lawrie tied with 42-year-old Dane Anders Hansen as both seek to end a wait of more than three years for their second and third respective European Tour titles.
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