Dredge in control as rain looms

Bradley Dredge extended his overnight lead in the Scandinavian Masters today as the players tried to beat the weather in Stockholm.

With more heavy rain of the kind which forced the pre-tournament pro-am to be cancelled forecast, play began at 7am local time from both the first and 10th tees.

That meant the leaders were out on the course by 9am and the low scoring of the first two days – the cut had fallen at four under par – continued in the early stages of the third round.

Dredge, who led by two going into the final round in Hamburg on Sunday before fading to fifth, opened with a birdie on the first and also picked up shots on the fourth and fifth to improve to 16 under par.

England’s Barry Lane, playing his 533rd European Tour event, was two shots behind after picking up two birdies in his first seven holes, alongside Sweden’s Pierre Fulke and Ireland’s Damien McGrane.

Fulke, who played on Europe’s victorious Ryder Cup team at The Belfry in 2002, but now spends more time on his course design business, had picked up four birdies and would have shared the lead but for a double bogey six on the third.

The most spectacular golf was coming from McGrane however, the 34-year-old from Meath racing to the turn in 30 with four birdies and an eagle.

World number seven Adam Scott was also not out of contention, the 2003 winner going out in 32 to lie 11 under, five off the lead.