Allenby holds lead in Oz despite injury

Robert Allenby moved further into the lead after the third round of the Australian Open after taking a five-stroke lead at Moonah Links near Melbourne.

However, an arm injury will require medical treatment ahead of the final round tomorrow as he struggles on with a persistent problem.

Allenby, 34, carded a third-round 72 despite windy conditions while Paul Sheehan also managed a 72.

Nick O’Hern claimed a share of third at three under alongside Aaron Baddeley and Rod Pampling, who each shot 73, while Martin Doyle is in outright sixth on two-under following a 72.

Stuart Appleby (72) and John Senden (75) share seventh at one-under, one ahead of Matthew Goggin, who made the best of the conditions with a three-under 69, world number eight Adam Scott (77), Greg Chalmers (72), Nathan Green (76), Colombian Camilo Vilegas (73) and American Bubba Watson (71).

After two days of northerly winds, Saturday’s round saw a strong southerly buffeting the links track and the field struggled to adjust to the changed conditions.

Allenby carded two birdies and three bogeys to reach the turn in 73, and then made up for another dropped shot at the par-three 11th with a pair of birdies from the 12th.

After giving another stroke back at the 15th, the local favourite aggravated an injury to his troublesome right arm after catching his hand in a latch while taking a toilet break on the 16th fairway.

Despite requiring constant treatment between shots from the 17th tee onwards, Allenby completed his round with a birdie at the last to finish even for the day.

“There’s not a lot of room for mistakes when it does play in this wind,” he said.

“I think this is the toughest wind (direction) to play in.

“Obviously I held it together all the way. There was a little bit of a mishap on 16 with my hand but I was very, very lucky over the last three holes, even to play the last three holes.”