SUN CITY, South Africa - Lee Westwood ignored temperatures in the high 90s to shoot 1-under-par 71 on Saturday and take the lead after three rounds of the Nedbank Challenge.
Westwood, who has a three-round total of 5-under 211, holds a one-shot lead over Retief Goosen and a two-shot margin over Stuart Appleby heading into today's final round.
Saturday's best round came from Jim Furyk, who shot 6-under-par 66 that included eight birdies. He moved into a tie for sixth with Ernie Els.
Appleby, who began the third round with the lead, shot 74 - and that score could have been a lot worse. He came within 30 seconds of being penalized for a lost ball when his second shot to the 18th hole plunged out of sight in the thick kikuyu-grass face of a greenside bunker.
After an intense search, playing partner Westwood's caddie found the ball.
"The ball was buried so deep, I had to mark it to be able to play it," said Appleby, who managed to hit it to about 20 feet and make the putt to save par.
HONG KONG OPEN: In Hong Kong, South Africa's James Kingston shot 8-under-par 62 for a share of the third-round lead with European Ryder Cup players Padraig Harrington and Miguel Angel Jimenez in an event co-sanctioned by the European and Asian tours.
Jimenez, the 40-year-old Spanish star coming off a four-victory season, shot 71, and Harrington had 67 to match Kingston at 10-under on the Hong Kong Golf Club course.
"There's a lot to play for tomorrow. It will be hard work," said Harrington, who sank a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole.
England's Nick Faldo (65) was a stroke back, along with countryman David Howell (70), Denmark's Thomas Bjorn (65) and Thailand's Thammanoon Srirot (66). Bryan Saltus was the top American, shooting 71 to finish at 5-under.
AUSTRALIAN PGA: In Coolum, Australia, former Australian amateur star James Nitties took the third-round lead, closing with a birdie for a one-stroke advantage over Bob Estes.
The 22-year-old Nitties, playing in his fourth professional tournament, shot 2-under-par 70 for a 14-under 202 total. Estes, who matched the Hyatt Regency resort course record with a first-round 63, bogeyed the 18th to match Nitties with 70.
Nitties held a one-stroke lead over Estes, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour, going into the third round. The two-shot swing on 18 left the two in the same position - and again in the same final pairing - for today.
"I was nervous at the start, but held it together," Nitties said. "I made a lot of saving putts for par. It's great to be where I am after three rounds."
The 38-year-old Estes took the lead with a birdie on the eighth hole, then made a 6-footer on the ninth to move two shots ahead.
Corey Pavin shot 67 to move into a third-place.
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