Minoza unworried as Jakarta storm brews

General / Editor / 17 February 2007 / Leave a Comment

Frankie Minoza faces a testing 15-foot putt on the 18th hole to retain a slender one-stroke lead at the Indonesian Open, after a thunderstorm brought a premature end to the third round.
Minoza needs to make the putt to save par and remain on eight under - a shot clear of Korea's Jong Yul Suk and Finland's Mikko Ilonen.
Ilonen had moved level with the Korean after a birdie at the 14th when play was suspended early for their third successive day in Jakarta.
Minoza was unconcerned by the intervention, despite having to return to a tricky putt on Sunday.

"It's not a problem. That's just part of the game," he said.
"The weather here has been quite unpredictable with the rain and heat."
Having won his home country's Philippine Open for the second time two weeks ago, Minoza added: "I will just keep hitting the ball in the final round.
"If I play like how I did today, I will have a very strong chance of winning."
The 47-year-old is the favourite to hold his nerve in Sunday's final round at 4, just ahead of Ilonen (4.9) in the winner's market, with Yul Suk at 7.2.

Australian rookie Andrew Tampion (15.5), who shared the overnight lead with Ilonen, was fourth after dropping to five under following three bogeys on his front nine.
India's Shiv Kapur (16) and Australia's Tony Carolan (80) had completed their rounds on four under and were tied for fifth with England's Gareth Davies (55) and the Thai trio of Chawalit Plaphol (29), Thammanoon Srirot (34) and Chapchai Nirat (38).