Golf: Roe on the charge

Sheffield’s Mark Roe, playing his 18th and possibly final season on the European Tour, stormed into a share of the lead in the Dunhill Championship.

Roe secured his card for 2002 only in the final event of last season, moving up from 131st on the Order of Merit - with only the top 115 keeping their playing rights - into 111th.

The 38-year-old needed to finish at least fourth in the Italian Open in November and carded a flawless final-round 66 to move up from 13th into a share of third place that secured his future.

He was adamant that would not change his plans to cut down on his tournament schedule after 17 years on tour, but there was no taking it easy this morning at Houghton Golf Club.

Roe, who played last season on a medical exemption after tearing ligaments in his fingers grabbing his dog’s collar in July 1999, birdied the first five holes in his third round to jump from a share of 26th place into a tie for the lead.

Overnight leaders Sandeep Grewal and Roger Wessels had yet to tee off, but already there was now a four-way tie for the lead.

Roe’s blistering start was matched by Ernie Els, the South African picking up six shots in his first 12 holes to also move to 10 under par.

The former US Open champion birdied four of the first five holes and picked up another at the seventh in between dropped shots on the par-three sixth and eighth.

Turning in 33, Els then rattled in a hat-trick of birdies from the 10th to move ominously into contention to retain the title he last won in 1999.

Latest leading positions in third round of Dunhill Championship, Houghton Golf Club, Johannesburg: (Gbr&Irl unless stated, Par 72):

(x) denotes amateurs

10 under - Sandeep Grewal (36)

Roger Wessels (Rsa) (36)

Mark Roe (42)

Ernie Els (Rsa) (48)

9 under - Anthony Wall (36)

Retief Goosen (Rsa) (36)

Martin Maritz (Rsa) (37)

Bradley Dredge (48)

Paul McGinley (39)

8 under - Mark Foster (36)

Mark Pilkington (37)

Arjun Atwal (Ind) (37)

Jamie Donaldson (42)

Richard Bland (51)

Daren Lee (42)