Ogilvy takes charge of the Open

Not content with a five-stroke lead, Geoff Ogilvy strode intently to the practice
range after seizing command of the Australian Open at The Lakes on Saturday.
An intense competitor, Ogilvy was aggravated at finishing his third round with a
bogey after pushing a five-iron right of the 18th green and didn't want to go to bed
stewing before returning on Sunday hoping to get his name on the Stonehaven Cup for
the first time.
"I would not normally rush to the range. I wanted to get it out of my head straight
away," Ogilvy said.
"Even if you shot 59 and you bogeyed the last you wouldn't be happy.
"I just wanted to hit a few similar-type shots on the range and get it out of the
system."
In truth, Ogilvy needn't fret.
After opening with rounds of 68-65, he fired a third-round five-under-par 67 to move
to 16-under for the championship to be well clear of his nearest challenger -
Sydney-raised, US-based Matt Jones.
Greg Chalmers (66) and Alistair Presnell (67) are seemingly his only other threats,
both some seven shots off the pace at 10-under.
John Senden (70) and first-round leader Matthew Griffin (72) are next best at
nine-under.
Ogilvy, the 2006 US Open winner and two-times world matchplay champion, is in
sizzling form, his bogey finish ending a hot streak of 40 holes without a scorecard
blemish.
He started the day with a one-stroke lead over Jones but finished miles in front
after picking up three birdies on the outward nine and another three coming home.
"All in all, I walked off feeling I putted really well and made the most of the
day," Ogilvy said.
"I'm obviously in a decent position after three rounds so if I do it again tomorrow,
I should be right at the end hopefully.
"But golf's a funny game and if we wake up and it's (raining) ... we've been blessed
so far. I mean, I haven't hit a shot in the rain, which is incredible.
"Every night I look at the forecast and think we mightn't even play and then every
day turns out perfect."
With golfing greats Jack Nicklaus (1964) and Greg Norman (1980) and fellow major
winner Steve Elkington (1992) the only other players to have won the Australian Open
at The Lakes, Ogilvy said it would be "pretty abnormal" not to think about following
in their footsteps.
"But it's between rounds of golf tournaments that's hard. Once you're playing, you
just get on with it," he said.
"I'm sure I'll sleep okay tonight."
Jones, still seeking his maiden tour victory despite quietly making a respectable
living on the lucrative US PGA circuit, endured a frustrating afternoon on the
greens.
Playing alongside Ogilvy, Jones had countless opportunities to make up ground on the
runaway leader, only to repeatedly shave the cup.
He mixed four birdies with three bogeys yet was still only one behind after six
holes before Ogilvy shot away.
Chalmers surged into contention with a six-under 66, including a spectacular run of
five successive birdies from the 10th to the 14th holes.
Part-timer Norman returned a decent two-under 70 but, at three-under overall, is no
hope of snaring a sixth Open title, while defending champion Adam Scott is also out
of contention after carding a one-over 73.