Dredge up the leaderboard

Welshman Bradley Dredge shot a magnificent 63 to rocket into second place in a stunning round at the dunhill Championship.

The 29-year old, who won the 2003 Madeira Island Open, fired home a back nine 30 at the Houghton Country Club to be nicely poised going into the final day of competition.

He dropped just one shot, when he sliced his seven iron into the trees on the 431-yard par four ninth before holing some massive putts.

A 20-foot birdie on the 11th was followed by a 12-foot putt on the 13th and a 10-footer on the 14th as he rattled in the birdies.

But it was nothing like the 50-foot birdie putt on the 17th which gave him his ninth birdie of the day before he closed with a simple 12-footer on the 18th to end the round.

One shot behind leader Soren Hansen, who still has four holes to play, Dredge’s round was his second lowest on the European Tour, after his 60 in Madeira last year.

Dredge believes though, that he will have to almost repeat his round if he is to lift the championship on Sunday.

“I’m just going to go out thinking a bit longer term than just this tournament, but having said that, I’m pleased to be in the thick of things,” he said.

“I do need a similar round tomorrow but it depends on what the leaders finish on. I might be three or four back at the end of play so if I can shoot something around 65 I might have a chance.”

Alongside him in second place are the French contingent of overnight leader Raphael Jacquelin and Gregory Havret, who are still out on the course.

Then comes Scot Alan McLean and Germany’s Marcel Siem a further shot back, before the group gets thick with challengers all in with a chance on the final day.

One of those is unsurprisingly last week’s SAA Open champion Trevor Immelman, who scorched up the front nine to post a 64 and move to 13 under, ready for his normal Sunday assault on the title.

Considering his final round 66 at Erinvale, Immelman can not be discounted going into the final round.

Immelman proclaimed his like for the course and believes he is on form with a good chance for the title.

“I actually played well the first two days as well but didn’t putt very well at all,” he said.

“We did some practice last night and I just tried to get back to the basics and went out there today and played well.

“I still didn’t hole everything, like you would expect when you’ve shot 64. I had two par fives where I hit it on in two and three putted for par but you can’t complain about a 64. It is definitely the best golf tee to green that I have played in my career so far.”

On a day where low scores were all around, others moved quietly, like England’s Lee Westwood who posted an impressive 66 to be 12 under while others like Welshman David Park shot a 65 to move alongside the Nottingham Forest fan.

Peter Lawrie has dropped back to tying for tenth place on 12 under par.