Newsmaker of the Year No. 8: Henrik Stenson

He didn’t stop, not even as his wrist ached and his bank account swelled and his world ranking soared.

Fatigue? Please. When you’ve seen the darker side of pro golf – the crushing slumps, the missed cuts, the lean years, the mounting frustration – Henrik Stenson was determined to ride out this hot streak as long as it would last, even if it meant playing 30 events this calendar year.

And Stenson shows no sign of letting up anytime soon. The strapping Swede with the dark shades and the quick wit reinvented himself again in 2013, returning from a three-year slump to author one of the most impressive seasons in recent memory.

Less than two years after he couldn’t even win his club championship back home in Sweden, Stenson reemerged on the world stage by winning three times, amassing more than $19 million (including bonus money) and becoming the first player to capture end-of-season prizes on both the PGA and European tours in the same season.

It wasn’t just that Stenson completed the historic double. It was how he did so – with dominant performances that left little doubt which player deserved the hardware. At the Tour Championship, he led by nine at one point before coasting to a three-shot win. At the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, he roared home with a flawless 64 – including a 3-wood on the final hole to 2 feet – to win by six. “He is the best player on the planet right now,” Ian Poulter said afterward.

The twin killing completed a remarkable transformation for Stenson, who, despite all of the scar tissue, is still just 37.

His story of perseverance begins in 2001, after he won his first European Tour title. Ill-prepared for golf at the highest level, his game soon spiraled out of control, and he bottomed out at No. 621 in the world in 2003. This, he admitted this year, was the most difficult slump from which to emerge, because he didn’t know his potential as a player. But he fought his way back, representing Europe at the Ryder Cup in 2006 and ’08 before capturing his biggest title, the 2009 Players, to rise to No. 4 in the world.

Unfortunately, that was the same year that Stenson lost a good chunk of his fortune in a Ponzi scheme, and his game promptly went south. Again. From 2010-12, there were poor results and even worse health – first a bout with viral pneumonia, then a waterborne parasite – and he tumbled all the way to 206th in the world at the start of 2012.

“It was more frustrating,” he said earlier this year, “because I knew what I’m capable of.”

There was no guarantee, of course, that Stenson would ever return to form. Ian Baker-Finch never did. Neither did David Duval. Some slumps just consume you, but scared-straight Stenson called upon a new sports psychologist, Torsten Hansson, and stayed committed to longtime swing coach Pete Cowen.

The turning point came at the 2012 South African Open, where Stenson torched the back nine to snap a 3 1/2-year winless drought. A few months later, and after a top 10 at Bay Hill, he needed another high finish at the Shell Houston Open just to qualify for the year’s first major. He tied for second. From there, he went on post 10 more top 10s worldwide, finish 21st or better in all four majors (including a pair of top 3s, at the Open and PGA), and win two FedEx Cup playoff events and the European Tour’s season finale. So complete was Stenson’s game, he ranked in the top 5 in scoring, greens hit, total driving and the Tour’s all-around statistic.

All of which he achieved, remember, while dealing with tendinitis in his wrist, a telltale sign of overuse. Recently, he joked that he’s spent “more time in the ice bucket than a bottle of Moet & Chandon.”

Yet there was no reason to stop, not when every elite player – especially Stenson – knows he is just one bad swing thought away from a career-altering slump.

Jason Day ends roller-coaster year on high

Jason Day has been torn between golfing joy and personal grief over the past two months but he believes the experience has strengthened his resolve and character as he aims to build on a "good year" in 2014.

Aged just 26, the Australian has established himself as one of the game's most exciting players and, with a rare ability to perform at his best when the pressure is at its most intense, has set his sights on landing a maiden major title.

Day has recorded six top-10s in golf's blue riband events, including three this year, and proved in stunning fashion that he is well equipped to overcome adversity by completing an emotional double triumph at the World Cup of Golf last month. Despite just days earlier having lost eight relatives who were killed in the Philippines by Typhoon Haiyan, he went on to win the World Cup of Golf by two strokes at Royal Melbourne, along with the team title in partnership with Adam Scott.

"That was obviously a very emotional week and to win the World Cup the way we did and then win the individual [title] on top of that, plus to have my family in town, was pretty special," world number 11 Day said.

"I have played some pretty solid golf over the last three weeks so overall it's been an up-and-down roller-coaster, as you would think. But I am very happy with how I have handled myself, through the good and the bad.

"It would have been the easiest thing for me to just go ahead and pull out of the tournament with what had been going on ... but I really wanted to play with Adam and try to win the World Cup, and we achieved that which was great."

Day, whose only PGA Tour victory came at the 2010 Byron Nelson Championship, was especially delighted to clinch a fifth World Cup team title for Australia, their first since Peter Fowler and Wayne Grady triumphed in 1989.

"To bring it back to Australia, playing in front of the home crowd, and then winning it on one of the most well-known Australian golf courses was very special," said Day, who is known for his attacking strategy and explosive shot-making.

"To be able to win it with Scotty, who has been a really good friend of mine for a long, long time now, to play as well as we did and to win it pretty convincingly in the end [by 10 shots], was a complete honour."Asked to assess his overall 2013 campaign, Day replied: "It's been a good year. The only thing that I obviously didn't have was another win on the PGA Tour.

"But I had a really solid win at the World Cup against the best players in the world and that's very encouraging for next year. I am very motivated.

"Now I've got about five or six weeks off, get some good rest and then get into the gym and try to really get fit for next year. I am looking forward to starting next season."

Day, who ended his 2013 season by tying for ninth in an elite field of 18 at last week's Northwestern Mutual World Challenge hosted by Tiger Woods in California, will specifically target golf's four major championships next year.

"I would love to win a major," said the Queenslander, who finished third at this year's Masters before tying for second at the US Open two months later. "That's a big goal of mine.

"I have to improve mentally a little more but I feel like my game is in a good spot. It's getting tougher to win tournaments and you've just got to work harder than the next guy to have that extra edge over him."

Should Day require major inspiration, he need look no further than at compatriot Scott, who made his long-expected breakthrough at the game's highest level with a play-off victory at this year's Masters.

Asked what he identified as the biggest difference in Scott's game this year, Day replied: "His game has always been there, I just think he's working a little bit harder and he wants it a little bit more.

"It's amazing the results you can get when you actually want it so bad that you will actually do it.

"Some years are up and down but when you really, really want it, it's difficult not to get what you want because it's just that law of attraction, I guess."

Dawie Van Der Walt Claims 2013 Nelson Mandela Championship.

It seemed only appropriate a South African born player should win the second annual Nelson Mandela Championship in Durban.

A day before the tournament’s namesake will be laid to rest where he was born and it was Dawie Van Walt who was handed the marvelous looking trophy featuring an image of Mandela.

The reduced 54-hole win is Van Der Walt’s second European Tour success after capturing last year’s Tshwane Open Championship.

Van Der Walt, ranked 337th in the World Rankings, posted a final round that included an eagle and five birdies in a four under par 66 to win with a 15-under par tally.

And Van Der Walt, who walked from the course to be greeted by his young daughter, not only captured a second European Tour title but victory in Durban saw him wrap up th e 2013 Sunshine Tour money list title

The 30-year old Van Der Walt teed-up in the event having finished 24th in last week’s Nedbank Challenge but also having missed the cut in both the South African Open and Alfred Dunhill Championship.

Spain’s Jorge Campillo, who had shot a 59 under a ‘preferred lie’ rule on day two, posted a final round 70 to share second place on 13-under par with England’s Matthew Baldwin (68).

Guan Tianlang is a prodigy with a club but father says he's a normal teen

Guan Tianlang is out on the driving range in Fanling belting balls under the watchful eye of his dad, Guan Hanwen. China's teenage prodigy who created a stir at the US Masters this year when he became the youngest competitor at 14 years, six months and then made the cut - is hard at practice.

The 15-year-old had missed the cut at last week's Hong Kong Open, but had stayed on with his parents, to enjoy a little bit of the city away from the public glare back home in Guangzhou now that he is being talked about as the Tiger Woods of China.

His dad scoffs at that. "My son has achieved more than what Tiger did when he was at the same age. Yes, Tianlang idolises Tiger, but he wants to walk his own path and achieve his own goals, and not follow Tiger," says Hanwen.

Hard to argue with that, for Tiger wasn't making the cut at the US Masters when he was 14, nor did he qualify and compete in an international tour event at the age of 13, as Guan did when he made it to the Volvo China Open in 2012.

Eyebrows have been raised at Guan's emergence. Critics say it is a crime that parents push their children at such a young age into the harsh world of golf. Guan, now 15, is still an amateur, but he is being treated as a professional, and is being hailed as China's next big sporting star.

He has more than two million followers on weibo account and his face is recognised by millions on the mainland.

How does he cope with all this adulation? With confidence, says a proud father.

"He is mentally strong. For someone who is so young, he has an amazing will," says Hanwen. "We never push him to do anything. He always does things at his own pace."

Hanwen and wife Jenny say they will never pressure their son, especially on the burning question of when he should turn professional.

"There is no timeline. We will allow him to develop his game and allow him to make up his own mind. He will want to turn pro when he knows he has the chance and capability to win," Hanwen said. "We as parents will never push him. It is his decision to make."

Tiger Woods turned professional only when he was 20. He never played in a professional event until he was 16 and didn't particularly excel, never contending as an amateur. But he won three consecutive US Junior Amateur titles and then three straight US Amateurs. He learned how to win before making the jump to pro golf.

While Guan wants to tread his own path, perhaps he might take a leaf out of Tiger's book when it comes to turning professional. But the temptation will mount.

Hanwen recounts, almost with relish, the pressures Guan faced at Augusta and how he overcame them.

"There was so much criticism in the American media when my son turned up. They all questioned his presence at the Masters and said no way was he going to make the cut."

But Guan quickly silenced the doubters, even going so far as earning a tribute from the legendary Gary Player, who said: "I thought Guan would score 81, 82 but I wouldn't have been surprised by a 90 because this course is such a monster.

"The greatest thing I have seen in golf was Tiger Woods winning a grand slam at 24, but Guan's performance is the second best I have seen."

Hanwen said: "What matters is that he enjoys playing golf. It is important in life to do something you enjoy and Tianlang loves playing golf. And I know he has set high goals. At the press conference after his Masters had ended, he told the world's media, 'One day I want to win all the grand slams ... in one year'. Everyone was amazed at his confidence."

Hanwen, a doctor, introduced Guan to golf at the age of four. "I used to play golf as a pastime and he used to come with me to the driving range where he picked up clubs and tried to imitate me and I encouraged him. It was when he was seven that I knew he had some talent."

Soon Guan was excelling, winning age group events. At 12 he was representing China at the Junior World Team Championship. He began spreading his wings and playing in amateur events in China, winning them with ease. At 13, he appeared for the first time in the country's national open.

Last year, in November, his meteoric rise attained warp speed when he won the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship to qualify for this year's US Masters.

"Suddenly, we had the world's media on our doorstep. CBS, ESPN and other television stations sent their reporters to Guangzhou. They followed him to school and back. They all wanted to know more about him," said the proud dad.

So did the rest of China. He had a growing army of fans and followers on social media. He handled the pressure well, showing the aplomb and poise of someone much older.

"Tianlang cares too much about golf to be affected by all this external pressure. I think this mental strength is in his DNA," Hanwen laughs. "In Augusta, he had large galleries every day and there were many celebrities following him. One day Michael Phelps was in the crowd. The good thing is that he has taken all this in his stride. He hasn't been affected by all the adulation and attention. He is still the same. Nothing has changed."

Guan is casually dispatching the ball 250 yards into the distance. He goes about it with robotic perfection, lining up his shots and then with a smooth swing watching them sail in the early-morning Fanling air. He is still growing - he stands at 1.75 metres - and it won't be long before he will be smacking it another 40 or 50 yards.

"His first love is basketball. He plays it all the time with his classmates. He even has a pair of shoes autographed by Kobe Bryant. But golf is a passion. He feels there is so much to be achieved," Hanwen said.

But first the parents insist Guan finishes his studies.

"The Chinese have a saying that the 'son has to thank the father' but I have to thank him too, for all the happiness he has given me. I'm proud because of not what he has achieved at this tender age, but because of his attitude and the respect he has for the game," says Hanwen as he takes off his misted glasses and wipes them.

It is not because of the morning dew in the air, but instead because the dad believes his son has the makings of a true champion, on and off the course.

Girlfriend caddie not holding Garcia back at Thailand Golf Championship

CHONBURI, Thailand (AP) -- Sergio Garcia finished with back-to-back birdies to shoot a second straight 7-under 65 Saturday and seize a four-shot lead after the third round of the Thailand Golf Championship.

Garcia had eight birdies overall to go with a lone bogey on the fourth to move to an 18-under total of 198 at the Asian Tour event.

"I was able to hit some really nice shots and then was able to roll two or three really good putts in and it was nice to be able to finish birdie-birdie on this difficult finishing stretch," Garcia said.

Henrik Stenson also shot a 65 to sit tied for second with Anirban Lahiri of India (67). Justin Rose, who shared the overnight lead with Garcia, only managed a 70 to fall five shots back.

Garcia raised some eyebrows by playing with his girlfriend, Katharina Boehm, as his caddie this week, but the partnership seems to be working just fine on the golf course. The Spaniard, though, did joke that Boehm was holding him back.

"I think if she will not be on the bag it would probably be like 25 under," said Garcia, who had a hole-in-one on Friday. "No, seriously, it's great to have her around, forget about having her on the bag this week. Just a very positive person, a lot of good energy, that's what I love about her, and it's great to be able to go through this with her. I think the experience, not only for me but for her, I'm sure is interesting and a lot of memories."

Stenson, the hottest player in golf over the second half of the season, had a bogey-free round to put himself in contention. Having become the first player to win both the FedExCup and the European money title this year, Stenson certainly looks like the biggest threat to Garcia's chances of winning a first title of 2013.

"That was a good day, definitely was the best I played this week," Stenson said. "Made some good birdies and some really good saves to keep the momentum going. ... I saw Sergio, he finished with two birdies to pull away four ahead again, so it's going to take some golf to catch him tomorrow. I know he's desperate to get his hands on a trophy, he's played well this year but has not managed to win anything. I'll try to challenge and see what happens."

KATIE BURNETT RECAPS HER ROOKIE SEASON

Another season has come to an end and with that LPGA.com caught up with several rookies to get their thoughts on their first season on Tour, what part of their game grew this year and advice for the next class of rookies. This week we check in with Katie Burnett to see what she has to say about 2013 and what she'll be doing to prepare for next year.

LPGA: What part of your game has grown the most this year? 

BURNETT: I would say my mental game has grown the most being able to deal with the pressure and stress week in and week out on the LPGA.

LPGA: What did you do in your spare time when on the road?

BURNETT: Watch movies and go out and explore the town or city we are in.

LPGA: What was the biggest transition for you this season?

BURNETT: Just getting used to the ropes of a new tour and new people.

LPGA: When practicing do you listen to you listen to music?

BURNETT: I listen to everything. You can literally find almost every genre of music on my iPod.

LPGA: What is your go to club in your bag?

BURNETT: I don't just have one, I love my putter and my wedges.

LPGA: What was your best moment on tour this season?

BURNETT: Shooting 30 on the front nine of St. Andrews and leading the RICOH Women's British Open through 15 holes.

LPGA: What do you wish someone had told you early in the season?

BURNETT: Just remember to always stay positive and have as much fun as possible because everyday I am living my dream.

LPGA: Did you have an “ah ha” moment this year?

BURNETT: Not really, just realized the more fun I had and the more I was smiling and enjoying myself the better I played.

LPGA: Earlier this year we asked what tournament you were looking forward to most – now we want to know what was your favorite, the best tour stop on your schedule this year.

BURNETT: My favorite would probably have to be the Kingsmill Championship because I loved the course, it was in amazing shape, and the crowds were amazing. Loved the atmosphere. I would have said the RICOH Women's British Open at St. Andrews because I don't know how it gets any better than that, but the Kingsmill Championshp is my favorite course that we will be returning to in 2014.

LPGA: With the season now over what are you planning on doing during the down time?

BURNETT: I am just going to work on my game for the upcoming season. I just recently got back from a vacation in South Africa.

LPGA: How will you prepare for the 2014? 

BURNETT: Just trying to fine tune parts of my long game and continue working on the strong parts of my game as well.

LPGA: What advice do you have for next year’s class of rookies?

BURNETT: Just remember to have fun and stay positive. This is not a sprint it is a marathon.

Auckland dominate women's interprovincial final

Auckland completed one of the most dominant performances ever seen in the Women's Interprovincial golf tournament at the Muriwai Golf Club today.

The Blue and Whites defeated Bay of Plenty 5-0 - a scoreline that flattered the favourites - as the Bay girls showed plenty of character in the hot and fine conditions.

But there was no doubt that Auckland, who had two players, Wenyung Keh and Brittney Dryland, with perfect winning records, was far and away the most dominant side throughout the week.

The defending champions won the title for the third time in succession and extended their record number of wins in the event to 22 since the team's match-play competition began back in 1950.

They became the first team to win three in a row in 30 years since Bay of Plenty-Thames Valley who completed the feat in 1981-1983.

Auckland finished the week with a perfect winning record of eight from eight matches and an incredible 36.5 points from the 40 points on offer. It is believed to be an unprecedented winning record.

Kaye Carroll, the manager of the Auckland team for the past 10 years, said the performance of her girls was a special effort as they totally outclassed every team they played.

"I had a machine team," Carroll said. "For them to go through and lose only three games for five days is just amazing. It has to be the best record ever in this tournament."

Carroll, who is bowing out as the Auckland manager after a decade of service, said there were a few factors that made her side so dominant.

"Being able to come out here and practise a few times as a team, practise shots in the wind and bunkers and so on was good and we bonded so well.

"This is the most special of all my wins with an Auckland team. This is my swansong. I have been doing this for 10 years and with Auckland winning three in a row, I feel like it is time for some fresh blood in the camp. Going out on this moment feels pretty special. I am rapt."

Auckland No 5 Brittney Dryland, who won the player of the tournament in 2012 at St Clair, got her team on the board early with a 3 and 2 win over the big-hitting Rotana Howard.

It meant that Dryland has finished two Interprovincial tournaments with a perfect winning record.

The match between Auckland No 3 Joanna Kim and her Bay of Plenty counterpart Heather Keefe was a classic. The two halved their opening eight holes before Kim seized the advantage heading into the turn. Kim went on to birdie the par three 17th to win the match 2 and 1 and secure the winning point for her side.

Wenyung Keh, who matched her perfect winning record from the team's win at the Whakatane Golf Club in 2011, was named player of the tournament.

Interview transcript: Davis & Dru Love

The following is a interview transcript from Davis Love III and son Dru prior to the PNC Father-Son Challenge, which begins Saturday in Orlando, Fla.

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by the defending champions in the PNC Father Son Challenge, Davis and Dru Love. Dru, we're gonna start with you. You sank the winning putt last year. Just some thoughts about coming back here and playing with your dad in this event.

DRU LOVE: Always excited to get back. One of my favorite tournaments just because you get to come out here and get in competition on your dad's team instead of against him trying to outdrive him and beat him.

We're looking forward to it. I think both ready to go. Should be fun.

THE MODERATOR: Davis, thoughts about coming back here? 

DAVIS LOVE, III: It's always a fun week. Grandpa on the bag an, friends and family coming out to watch and getting to play and Dru in a competition, probably until he gets on TOUR probably the only thing we can play in competition. It's a lot of the fun and we're excited to be back.

THE MODERATOR: Comments about each of your games coming in here.

DRU LOVE: I'm coming off a whole semester of trying to make the Alabama squad, so I've been practicing a lot. Exams last week. Haven't been able to do much.

Now that we've been here in this nice weather and getting out of the 40 degree Tuscaloosa weather we're ready to go.

DAVIS LOVE, III: Yeah, I think we're both a little rusty on the golf course, but both we've been practicing a lot and work, hard. We're excited to play.

THE MODERATOR: Open it up for questions. We have a microphone, so just raise your hand. 

Q. Dru, it's been a year. How long has that putt gotten and what do you remember about it?

DRU LOVE: I think it's gotten a little bit longer. My dad keeps me in check on it though.

DAVIS LOVE, III: It was about five feet, wasn't it?

DRU LOVE: Yeah, about three feet.

No, I just remember the pressure and I remember I don't remember the chip. Kind of blacked out over that one.

Once we got over the putt I just remember laughing with family and my grandfather reading the putt wrong and us laughing on the green and just celebrating with my dad afterwards.

Yeah, it's a memory I probably will never forget.

DAVIS LOVE, III: I loved it because I didn't have to putt it. He left me hanging a few times during the day and I didn't want it on the last hole, so I was really glad he made it.

Q. What's the order of how you hit, like off the tee, approach shots, putting? Does it stay the same? Are you first all the time?

DRU LOVE: Great question.

DAVIS LOVE, III: Yeah, I thought about that all the back nine. Yeah, his game is a lot different than it was last year. He's driving it really, really well.

I don't know what the strategy is, to be honest with you. I think I should probably putt first, take some pressure off me, and then let him...

DRU LOVE: I don't want that.

DAVIS LOVE, III: We tried that a little bit the first day last year, didn't we? I think we go back and forth. I think you don't want to get locked in.

But I think I'm going to get it in more fairways and he's going to hit it farther than me, so might be better for me to hit first.

Again, it's wherever he feels the most comfortable with the pressure because I'm used to it. I'm used to standing up there, having the hit the ball in the fairway, going through my routine a little better. We'll probably play it a little bit by ear.

You put your best putter last in scramble, so I think he should go last.

Q. When you're out there and playing and you see something he's doing, do you try and help him as you're playing along, or do you almost instinctively want to help him yet you go, Maybe I'll wait till later?

DAVIS LOVE, III: I've learned to bite my tongue. My brother is his teacher. The things he does are the same things that I do. You get out of your routine, you get a little quick, swinging too hard at it.

I try to help him more with the Bob Rotella sports psychology side of it than the swing. I know I don't want him correcting my swing during the round. I just want to go play. So I try not to correct his.

But we tend to make the same mistakes. We get a little excited and swing too hard and don't take our time on our putts.

We'll try to keep each other in check. I try stay away from the golf instruction. He hits if well enough. If we just go play, we'll do all right.

Q. I'm curious, Dru, first of all, how tough has it been this past is semester to crack the lineup on the Alabama team? Do your teammates give you any sort of joking around or anything about coming here to defend a title?

DRU LOVE: Well, the first question on the lineup, it's been tough. You know, we got three of the best amateurs in the world as our top three. We got a freshman who came in and is blowing it out of water in Robby Shelton. Our fifth guy, Tom Lovelady, he's really talented.

So it's been tough. I've been close. I was a few shots away one time from making it. I got to play in one, you know, junior college event, one tournament. They push me really hard. If you're not working, if you skip a day, you're falling behind. They push me really hard to get out there and practice and get better.

When I left they all told me good luck. We hope you go out there and kick butt and show off for Alabama. They don't give any grief about it. They want me to play well. They're pretty supportive.

Q. Not that it would help you go back and crack the lineup. 

DRU LOVE: Right, yeah.

DAVIS LOVE, III: No, you don't get any points.

DRU LOVE: No, you don't get any bonus points. Not for this one.

DAVIS LOVE, III: The thing he needs to do is compete, so it's good here, and he's got the Jones Cup at Sea Island which pretty much all his team will play in the end of January, beginning of the February. So he just needs to play a little bit.

Yeah they had four guys out of 20 on the Walker Cup team. That's pretty stout. You know, that's why he's there. He's got the best coaches and the best team in the country. They're going to make him a better player. I keep telling him, you crack that lineup and you're ready for the TOUR.

Their top 3 players are just I mean, it's just incredible how good they are. They ten, right?

DRU LOVE: Won twelve in a row.

DAVIS LOVE, III: Twelve straight tournaments. I mean, it's like Saban. He's not changing quarterbacks until they graduate. I don't even know who the second string quarterback is. When you got a top 5 like that it's hard to change it.

And that's why the other young guys are working so hard, because they know they got a chance to play on the best team in the country.

Q. Dru, outside of your victory last year, what is your best memory of golfing with your dad or watching your dad play? Davis, maybe same for you about playing with your son. 

DRU LOVE: I think the one I remember the most of his wins is TPC in '03. Yeah, I remember that shot on 16. I remember him coming down 18 and being behind the green when he won.

That's probably the most memorable won that I can recall. Yeah.

Q. Davis, favorite memory playing with your son?

DAVIS LOVE, III: Playing with him? I don't know. Unfortunately we don't get to play in club tournaments.

I remember when he was really little playing and winning the Disney parent child tournament there and looking forward to playing something like this.

It's real competitive now when we go out and play. He's trying really hard to beat me. In a regular round, some of my most grinding rounds are just a fun day at home trying to make sure I don't get beat.

Because he will rub it in. I have won the last three or four putting contests, though.

DRU LOVE: Last two.

DAVIS LOVE, III: I was three our of four in one of the contests and then I won yesterday.

Anyway, we're competitive. If I can beat him, I know I'm playing well.

Q. Davis, what's your scouting report on your son and how would you compare where he is to where you were at that age?

DAVIS LOVE, III: I think I had more tournament experience. He started a little later getting serious about playing. One summer the AJGA guy said, You really get need to get him in some tournaments. I said, I don't think he's quite ready. He's not quite tournament ready enough for a big AJGA event. They said, Come on. Let him play and we'll give him two exemptions this summer. So they gave him and exemption and he won.

They came back and said, I think he's ready. So I think I look at him as like a lot of these kids that I'm around now that my brother works with or you see around Sea Island or like on his Alabama team. If you just got them through Q School and on to the TOUR, like if you put Dru on TOUR and gave him a couple years, he would do well. Or Trey Mollinex off his team. Give him a spot and he could do well.

There are so many of those guys that are trying to make the Alabama team or trying to win the U.S. Amateur or making it onto the TOUR. There are just so many good players. There are 40 or 50 guys out there right now that any one of them could be successful on TOUR if they can just get there.

I've got friends at home that can't get through Q School but they're unbelievably talented players.

Last year I would've said he's got a lot of holes in his game. This year I think he's plugged a lot of them. Like Alabama coaches have really pushed him with his short game; gotten better with that.

So he's capable of playing at any level if he keeps working at it.

Q. Just wondered where your game was and what you're looking forward to in 2014. 

DAVIS LOVE, III: Well, I'm excited to do better than I did the first four tournaments of the '13/'14 schedule. I'm excited about my game. I'm getting there strength wise. For my next surgery, watching the progress of Peyton Manning, it wasn't just to have surgery, get back to playing, and you're fine. It's getting stronger and stronger and stronger over a period of time.

My doctor said nine months to two years. I'm not even nine months in yet. Maybe close. February. So I'm still working hard trying to get my strength back, and I'm seeing it. I hit a 5 iron into 17 today, I'm like, Oh, that was better. That actually went 210 yards in the air.

And then I hit one at 18 that didn't go far enough. I'm not quite 100%, so I'm excited about the off season, getting ready for next year. I think I'm going to continue to feel better about my game over the next year. That's why I want to give the regular tour a good shot this season and not start bouncing back and fourth.

I'm excited about it.

Q. Going back to Dru being among this group of 60 guys that if you put them on TOUR and left them there a couple years they would do pretty well, when you were at his age, about how many guys do you think could have done that?

DAVIS LOVE, III: Not nearly as many. I would say ten or fifteen probably out of you know, when you take my group of guys, there was probably 20 that you said, you know, they had the big enough, strong enough game to come out and compete and stay on TOUR.

My dad gave me a ranking like every year of where I stood. After my junior year he said, If you turn pro you'll win within two years and you'll stay out there for a long time. I said, Well, I'm gone. I'll turn pro early.

Nowadays I think he would have told me to wait. He would've said, You've got a lot of game, but it better be perfect if you're going to go try Q School. There are the Scott Verplanks and Billy Ray Browns and Duffy Waldorfs. There are a bunch of guys that were ready to play in college before they got out of college.

Every year there are four or five guys that turn pro early and go through Q school. You've got all the Oklahoma State guys that came out early, Alabama guys.

There is a lot more competition now for the same amount of spots. Actually probably less spots in Q School than when I did it.

Q. In this kind of who's who of golf field that we've got here, is there someone you tell Dru to talk to about putting or chipping or anything like that?

DAVIS LOVE, III: Not really about the golf part of it, but just be able to Lee Trevino come walking out on the range and start he just starts talking to Dru, telling him stuff showing him how to hit a wedge shot with a hybrid.

That's what's neat, walking into the party and him talking to legendary players, just getting to hang around and soak it up and getting to play with them.

We haven't played with Larry Nelson, so we've got him tomorrow. There is somebody that he ought to get to know, a legend in the game that he hasn't really been around. I'm excited about playing with Larry. I haven't played with him in a long, long time.

I think that's the biggest part of it, you know, watching them play. But watching Jack Nicklaus sign a perfect autograph over and over again is a good thing to see, and how nice these guys are to the fans. You know, how professional they are.

I think that's the biggest thing. And then making lots of putts for me. That's important, too.

Trio share Shootout lead

Naples - Defending champions Kenny Perry and Sean O'Hair shot an 8-under 64 in modified alternate-shot play on Friday for a share of the first-round lead in the Franklin Templeton Shootout.

LEADERBOARD: Franklin Templeton Shootout

The teams of Matt Kuchar-Harris English and Charles Howell III-Justin Leonard also shot 64 on the Ritz Carlton Resort's Tiburon course. The 24 teams will play better ball on Saturday and finish with a scramble on Sunday.

After playing the front nine in 3-under, Perry and O'Hair birdied Nos. 13-16.

"It was a fun day for me," said Perry, the Champions Tour player of the year and Charles Schwab Cup points champion. "When (O'Hair) poured it in from about 15 feet on the first hole I knew it was going to be a good day for us. We were never in any trouble.

"We had a great chance to really go low today and better than 8-under, but that's OK. I mean, alternate shot is a tough format. To me it's my favourite format. I love it more than any format of all the three. So, you know, you can lose it. If we get off to a crummy start it's hard to catch up with best ball and scramble coming up."

Kuchar and English birdied Nos. 12-14 and eagled No. 17.

"Yeah, it was a lot of fun playing with Harris," Kuchar said. "I knew he was on some pretty good form and knew I had a good horse for a partner."

English replaced the injured Brandt Snedeker in the field.

"This is a tournament that I've always watched on TV growing up and it seemed like such a great format and such a good competition," English said.

English hit a 6-iron shot from 192 yards to 6-feet to set up the eagle.

"When you start hitting some good shots and start getting some momentum, you keep rolling and we did a good job of keeping that momentum going on the back nine and making a bunch of birdies and making eagle on 17," English said.

Howell and Leonard birdied the final three holes on the front nine and added birdies at Nos. 10, 12, 13, 17 and 18.

"Today we chose Justin to hit first and that was great for me because he drove it in the fairway every time and I could swing away at it." Howell said.

Retief Goosen and Fredik Jacobson shot 67, and Jason Dufner and Dustin Johnson matched Chris DiMarco and Billy Horschel at 68. Tournament host Norman and Jonas Blixt had a 72.

Brooks retains NMC lead

Durban - Daniel Brooks of England carded his second successive bogey-free round on Saturday as he completed the second round of the Nelson Mandela Championship presented by ISPS Handa in six-under-par 64.

The €1-million tournament co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour and the European Tour at Mount Edgecombe Country Club has been hit by rain delays, and has been shortened to 54 holes with the final round scheduled to start on Saturday morning immediately after the delayed second round was completed.

“It was quite nice going out there today and hitting a few nice shots early on and getting a bit of confidence going,” he said. “I holed a couple of nice putts again, so hopefully we’ll carry that on this afternoon.”

Brooks was the first-round leader after he carded an eight-under-par 62 on a course reduced to a par of 70 instead of its normal 71, with 293-metre (320-yard) par-four fifth converted into a 130-metre (142-yard) par-three because the fairway was so waterlogged.

He held a three-stroke edge over Spaniard Jorge Campillo, who signed for a sensational 11-under-par 59 on Friday, Matthew Baldwin of England and South African Dawie van der Walt, who won the Tshwane Open in February and is pushing for his second European Tour title. Oliver Bekker and Branden Grace are four strokes off Brooks’ lead on 10-under-par in a share of fifth place.

Brooks knows he will be chased as he goes in search of a maiden professional victory - indeed, a first finish inside the top 10 on the European Tour. “It will be good fun,” he said. “I haven’t been in this position before, so I’ll take whatever happens, because it’s all a learning curve.”

Scores (RSA unless specified):

126 - Daniel Brooks (ENG) 62 64

129 - Jorge Campillo (ESP) 70 59, Matthew Baldwin (ENG) 67 62, Dawie Van der Walt 67 62

130 - Oliver Bekker 64 66, Branden Grace 64 66

131 - Romain Wattel (FRA) 64 67

132 - David Higgins (IRL) 68 64, Jacques Blaauw 68 64

133 - Adrien Saddier (FRA) 66 67, Francois Calmels (FRA) 63 70, Fredrik Andersson Hed (SWE) 68 65, Titch Moore 69 64

134 - Michael Hoey (NIR) 65 69, Tjaart van der Walt 67 67, Matthew Carvell 67 67, Jaco Ahlers 66 68, Jbe' Kruger 67 67, Merrick Bremner 68 66, Jose-Filipe Lima (POR) 70 64

135 - Adilson Da Silva (BRA) 67 68, Joel Sjoholm (SWE) 65 70, Alastair Forsyth (SCO) 68 67, Edouard Dubois (FRA) 64 71, Andrew Johnston (ENG) 68 67, Charl Coetzee 67 68, John Hahn (USA) 69 66

136 - Oliver Fisher (ENG) 70 66, Colin Nel 77 59, Bjorn Akesson (SWE) 69 67, Keith Horne 69 67, Byeong-hun An (KOR) 67 69, Darren Fichardt 66 70, Phillip Archer (ENG) 67 69, Jens Dantorp (SWE) 69 67, Carlos Del Moral (ESP) 69 67, Victor Riu (FRA) 66 70, Shiv Kapur (IND) 71 65

137 - Oliver Wilson (ENG) 70 67, Julien Guerrier (FRA) 68 69, James Kamte 70 67, Estanislao Goya (ARG) 66 71, Brandon Stone 68 69, Gary Stal (FRA) 70 67, Lyle Rowe 71 66, Jeppe Huldahl (DEN) 72 65, Anthony Wall (ENG) 71 66, Keenan Davidse 67 70

138 - Duncan Stewart (SCO) 68 70, Matthew Nixon (ENG) 69 69, Andrew McArthur (SCO) 66 72, Scott Jamieson (SCO) 73 65, Soren Hansen (DEN) 71 67, Daniel Gaunt (AUS) 68 70, Bradford Vaughan 67 71, Jens Fahrbring (SWE) 68 70, Chris Hanson (ENG) 72 66, James Kingston 67 71, Daniel Im (USA) 70 68, Jake Roos 68 70

139 - Niklas Lemke (SWE) 73 66, Thomas Pieters (BEL) 73 66, Simon Wakefield (ENG) 70 69, Christiaan Basson 68 71, Alex Haindl 68 71, Jaco Van Zyl 74 65, Garth Mulroy 69 70, Robert Rock (ENG) 72 67, Pablo Martin Benavides (ESP) 70 69, Lee Slattery (ENG) 73 66, Stuart Manley (WAL) 71 68, Vaughn Groenewald 68 71, Damien McGrane (IRL) 71 68, Thomas Aiken 70 69, Dean Burmester 70 69

Missed the cut:

140 - PH McIntyre 70 70, Adrian Otaegui (ESP) 67 73, Edoardo Molinari (ITA) 71 69, Peter Hedblom (SWE) 70 70, Peter Whiteford (SCO) 70 70, Richard Finch (ENG) 71 69, Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR) 70 70, Andrew Georgiou 68 72, Theunis Spangenberg 68 72, Neil Schietekat 71 69, Warren Abery 76 64, Simon Thornton (IRL) 69 71, Ruan de Smidt 73 67

141 - JJ Senekal 74 67, Michael Hollick 73 68, Jared Harvey 71 70, Shaun Norris 71 70, Ryan Cairns (ZIM) 65 76, Edouard Espana (FRA) 70 71, George Coetzee 68 73, Haydn Porteous 71 70, Espen Kofstad (NOR) 74 67

142 - Oscar Stark (SWE) 73 69, Thriston Lawrence (AMA) 72 70, Brinson Paolini (USA) 76 66, Anthony Michael 71 71, Andrew Curlewis 74 68, Grant Muller 72 70, Sam Little (ENG) 70 72, Ockie Strydom 70 72, Jean Hugo 74 68

143 - Jack Doherty (SCO) 74 69, Allan Versfeld 72 71, Thomas Norret (DEN) 73 70, Jamie McLeary (SCO) 69 74, Justin Walters 72 71, Louis de Jager 73 70, Johan du Buisson 73 70, Chris Paisley (ENG) 68 75

144 - Kevin Phelan (IRL) 74 70, Andreas Harto (DEN) 72 72, Mathias Gronberg (SWE) 73 71, Ulrich van den Berg 72 72, Bryce Easton 72 72

145 - Graham van der Merwe 71 74, Danie van Tonder 72 73, Bernd Ritthammer (GER) 77 68, Alpheus Kelapile 77 68, Peter Karmis 72 73, John Bele 72 73

146 - Ryan Tipping 71 75, Clifford Howes 72 74, Heinrich Bruiners 71 75

147 - Brandon Pieters 79 68, Scott Henry (SCO) 72 75, Le Roux Ferreira 75 72, Dylan Frittelli 74 73, Chris Swanepoel 72 75, Louis Taylor (AMA) 70 77, Thabo Maseko 75 72

148 - Makgetha Mazibuko 72 76, Drikus Bruyns 71 77

149 - Riekus Nortje 78 71, Tyrone Mordt 74 75, Daniel Greene 78 71

150 - JG Claassen 76 74, Steven Tiley (ENG) 80 70, Sam Walker (ENG) 79 71

151 - Joshua Cunliffe 78 73, Ben Evans (ENG) 73 78, Dominic Foos (GER) (AMA) 79 72

159 - Mark Williams 78 81

WDN - Teboho Sefatsa 79 WDN, Adam Gee (ENG) 78 WDN

RTD - David Drysdale (SCO) 70 RTD, Doug McGuigan 75 RTD, Desvonde Botes 72 RTD, Tyrone Ferreira 71 RTD

DSQ - Gary Lockerbie (ENG) DSQ DSQ, Jose Manuel Lara (ESP) 71 DSQ, Justin Harding 69 DSQ

Garcia sizzles in Thailand

Bangkok - Spain's Sergio Garcia opened up a four-stroke lead after firing a superb seven-under 65 in the third round of the $1m Thailand Golf Championship at Amata Spring Country Club on Saturday.

The Spanish star surged to 18-under for the tournament with eight birdies and just one bogey.

Matching Garcia's 65 was Sweden's pre-tournament favourite Henrik Stenson who moved into joint second place along with India's Anirbarn Lahiri.

Joint overnight leader Justin Rose slipped back to fourth spot after a disappointing 70, leaving the Englishman five shots behind the leader.

Two shots further back, alone in fifth place, was France's Alexander Levy while the best score of the day came from Korea's Kim Gi-Whan whose eight-under 64 catapulted him into joint sixth spot.

"It was great to shoot 65 for the second successive day," said a relaxed Garcia. "I felt very comfortable and hit some nice shots. I was particularly pleased with my putting, especially sinking birdies on the difficult last two holes."

Despite his healthy lead he knows there is still plenty of work to do and won't be playing cautiously in Sunday's final round.

"There are five or six guys out there who can shoot a good number," he said. "I'll be as aggressive as possible. I won't be playing defensively."

Stenson looked particularly pleased after his bogey-free seven-under round. "That's the best I've played all week," he said.

"In addition to the birdies, I made some good saves which kept the momentum going, which was important."

However, he knows overhauling Garcia will not be easy. "It's going to take some special golf to catch Sergio," he said.

Lahiri was pleased to be in contention after shooting an excellent 67. "I'm very happy as I did not hit the ball that well," said the promising 26-year-old.

"I'm glad I'm within touching distance of Sergio, but I won't expect too much. I'll just do my best."

Rose admitted he had experienced a "frustrating day" missing a number of birdie putts. "I played quite well and had the opportunity to put a good round together, but didn't do it," he said.

The US Open winner said he would do his best to catch Ryder Cup team-mate Garcia in the last round.

"It's my last round of the season. I'll shoot at the flags and hope the putts go in."

Leading the local challenge is Thailand's Panuphol Pittayarat in joint sixth place after shooting 67.

But it was compatriot Chinnarat Phadungsil who prompted the biggest cheers from the gallery with a hole-in-one at the fifth, the second ace of the tournament.

The ace climaxed a blistering start for the young Thai who found himself five-under after the first five holes on his way to an impressive 65 for joint ninth place.

Scores after the third round of the $1m Thailand Golf Championship on Thursday at the Amata Spring Country Club (par 72):

• 198 - Sergio Garcia 68-65-65 (ESP)
• 202 - 70-67-65 Henrik Stenson (SWE), 71-64-67 Anirban Lahiri (IND)
• 203 - 65-68-70 Justin Rose (ENG)
• 205 - 70-65-70 Alexander Levy (FRA)
• 206 - 74-68-64 Kim Gi-Whan (KOR), 72-69-65 Yuki Kono (JPN), 71-68-67 Panuphol Pittayarat (THA)
• 207 - 74-68-65 Chinnarat Phadungsil (THA), 70-66-71 Rickie Fowler (USA)
• 208 - 73-69-66 DA Points (USA), 68-73-67, Charl Schwartzel (RSA), 72-69-67 Chapchai Nirat (THA), 66-73- 69 ,Gaganjeet Bhullar (IND), 65-74 -69 Arnond Vongvanij (THA), 72-65-71 Andrew Dodt (AUS), 68-69-71 Sujjan Singh (IND), 69-68-71 Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA), Alex Cejka 64-71-72
• 209 - 72-71-66 Berry Henson (USA), 69-73-77 Marcus Fraser (AUS), 71-70-68 Wade Ormsby (AUS)

Selected scores:

• 210 - 71-71-68 Thongchai Jaidee (THA), 74-68-68 Ryo Ishikawa (JPN)
• 211 - 71-72-68 Hunter Mahan (USA)
• 216 - 73-70-73 John Daly (USA)

Defending champions Perry, O'Hair share lead

NAPLES, Fla. — Defending champions Kenny Perry and Sean O'Hair shot an 8-under 64 in modified alternate-shot play Friday for a share of the first-round lead in the Franklin Templeton Shootout.

The teams of Matt Kuchar-Harris English and Charles Howell III-Justin Leonard also shot 64 on the Ritz Carlton Resort's Tiburon course. The 24 teams will play better ball Saturday and finish with a scramble Sunday.

After playing the front nine in 3 under, Perry and O'Hair birdied Nos. 13-16.

"It was a fun day for me," said Perry, the Champions Tour player of the year and Charles Schwab Cup points champion. "When (O'Hair) poured it in from about 15 feet on the first hole I knew it was going to be a good day for us. We were never in any trouble.

"We had a great chance to really go low today and better than 8 under, but that's OK. I mean, alternate shot is a tough format. To me it's my favorite format. I love it more than any format of all the three. So, you know, you can lose it. If we get off to a crummy start it's hard to catch up with best ball and scramble coming up."

Kuchar and English birdied Nos. 12-14 and eagled No. 17.

"Yeah, it was a lot of fun playing with Harris," Kuchar said. "I knew he was on some pretty good form and knew I had a good horse for a partner."

English replaced the injured Brandt Snedeker in the field

"This is a tournament that I've always watched on TV growing up and it seemed like such a great format and such a good competition," English said.

English hit a 6-iron shot from 192 yards to 6 feet to set up the eagle.

"When you start hitting some good shots and start getting some momentum, you keep rolling and we did a good job of keeping that momentum going on the back nine and making a bunch of birdies and making eagle on 17," English said.

Howell and Leonard birdied the final three holes on the front nine and added birdies at Nos. 10, 12, 13, 17 and 18.

"Today we chose Justin to hit first and that was great for me because he drove it in the fairway every time and I could swing away at it." Howell said.

Retief Goosen and Fredik Jacobson shot 67, and Jason Dufner and Dustin Johnson matched Chris DiMarco and Billy Horschel at 68. Tournament host Norman and Jonas Blixt had a 72.

Chris Epperson leads Web.com Q-school

LA QUINTA, Calif. — Chris Epperson shot a 9-under 63 on Friday on PGA West's Nicklaus Tournament Course to take a four-stroke lead after the second round of the Web.com Tour Qualifying Tournament.

The 31-year-old Epperson, from Hilton Head Island, S.C., had a 16-under 128 total.

The players are competing for positions in the Web.com Tour's priority ranking used to form tournament fields, with the medalist (or co-medalists) guaranteed fully exempt status. Every player who is at PGA West is guaranteed a spot on the Web.com Tour next season. The six-round tournament will end Tuesday.

"We've still got a lot of golf left," Epperson said. "I'm not going to get ahead of myself. ... Everything seems to be clicking. My tempo is nice. I really didn't have any expectations. The goal was to get a card. I'm trying to approach it as any other tournament. My coach and I have been working on our process — 'Get your yardage, get your club, focus on your target and just hit it.'"

Steve Saunders and Nathan Tyler were tied for second. Saunders had a 65, and Tyler shot 66 — both on the Nicklaus course. First-round leader Justin Shin of Canada followed his opening 64 on the Nicklaus course with a 74 on the Stadium layout to drop into a tie for 25th at 6 under.

Garcia dominating Thailand Open

Spain's Sergio Garcia opened up a four-stroke lead after firing a superb seven-under 65 in the third round of the $1 million Thailand Golf Championship at Amata Spring Country Club on Saturday.

The Spanish star surged to 18-under for the tournament with eight birdies and just one bogey.

Matching Garcia's 65 was Sweden's pre-tournament favourite Henrik Stenson, who moved into joint second place along with India's Anirbarn Lahiri.

Joint overnight leader Justin Rose slipped back to fourth spot after a disappointing 70, leaving the Englishman five shots behind the leader.

Two shots further back, alone in fifth place, was France's Alexander Levy while the best score of the day came from Korea's Kim Gi-Whan whose eight-under 64 catapulted him into joint sixth spot.

A third round 71 left Andrew Dodt the best placed Australian, ten shots off the pace.

"It was great to shoot 65 for the second successive day," said a relaxed Garcia. "I felt very comfortable and hit some nice shots. I was particularly pleased with my putting, especially sinking birdies on the difficult last two holes."

Despite his healthy lead he knows there is still plenty of work to do and won't be playing cautiously in Sunday's final round.

"There are five or six guys out there who can shoot a good number," he said. "I'll be as aggressive as possible. I won't be playing defensively."

Stenson looked particularly pleased after his bogey-free seven-under round. "That's the best I've played all week," he said.

"In addition to the birdies, I made some good saves which kept the momentum going, which was important."

However, he knows overhauling Garcia will not be easy. "It's going to take some special golf to catch Sergio," he said.

Lahiri was pleased to be in contention after shooting an excellent 67. "I'm very happy as I did not hit the ball that well," said the promising 26-year-old.

"I'm glad I'm within touching distance of Sergio, but I won't expect too much. I'll just do my best."

Rose admitted he had experienced a "frustrating day" missing a number of birdie putts. "I played quite well and had the opportunity to put a good round together, but didn't do it," he said.

The US Open winner said he would do his best to catch Ryder Cup teammate Garcia in the last round.

"It's my last round of the season. I'll shoot at the flags and hope the putts go in."

Leading the local challenge is Thailand's Panuphol Pittayarat in joint sixth place after shooting 67.

But it was compatriot Chinnarat Phadungsil who prompted the biggest cheers from the gallery with a hole-in-one at the fifth, the second ace of the tournament.

The ace climaxed a blistering start for the young Thai who found himself five-under after the first five holes on his way to an impressive 65 for joint ninth place.

Red-hot Garcia takes four-shot Bangkok lead

Sergio Garcia will take a four-shot lead into the final round of the Thailand Golf Championship after Saturday's excellent 65.

The Spaniard had already carded rounds of 68 and 65 to share the halfway lead with Justin Rose and he secured eight birdies and just one bogey to surge ahead to 18-under par with just 18 holes to go in Bangkok. Rose has now slipped back to fourth spot on the leaderboard after signing for a modest 70 and it is in-form Swede Henrik Stenson who will be Garcia's closest challenger on Sunday as his 65 moved the Race to Dubai winner up to -14. India's Anirban Lahiri is also on 14-under par with Rose one stroke back, but the rest of the field appear to now be playing for the minor places. Alexander Levy of France shot another solid round of 70 and he is next in the standings on -11, with Korea's Kim Gi-whan, Yuki Kono of Japan and Thailand's Panuphol Pittayarat sharing sixth place on -10. But it is Ryder Cup star Garcia who now holds all the aces and the 33-year-old was delighted with his effort over the closing holes. "It was great obviously to be able to go out there and shoot 65 again," he said. "I played nicely and felt pretty comfortable. "I was able to hit some really nice shots and then was able to roll two or three really good putts in and it was nice to be able to finish birdie, birdie on this difficult finishing stretch."

Garcia pads lead at Amata

CHON BURI - Sergio Garcia fired a 7-under-par 65 to open a four-shot lead after the third round of the Thailand Golf Championship at the Amata Spring Country Club in Chon Buri.

The Spaniard had eight birdies to bring his three-round total to an 18-under 198.

He's being chased by Henrik Stenson, the first man to win the European Tour's Race to Dubai and the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup this season, who also fired a 65 to give himself a chance of a fourth win of the year. The Swede is tied in second with India's Anirban Lahiri, who fought his way into the final group on Sunday with a 67.

Second-round co-leader Justin Rose of England bogeyed his last hole for a 70 as he slipped five shots off the pace while Panuphol Pittayarat emerged as the leading Thai player following a 67 for a share of sixth place on 206.

After charging into contention with a second-round 65 that included a hole-in-one on Friday, the 33-year-old Garcia, ranked 19th in the world, put himself in prime position to land his first title of 2013.

"It was great to shoot 65 for the second successive day," said a relaxed Garcia, whose girlfriend is caddying for him.

"I felt very comfortable and hit some nice shots. I was particularly pleased with my putting, especially sinking birdies on the difficult last two holes."

Despite his healthy lead he knows there is still plenty of work to do and won't be playing cautiously in Sunday's final round.

"There are five or six guys out there who can shoot a good number," he said. "I'll be as aggressive as possible. I won't be playing defensively."

Lahiri, who is fifth on the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit, sank six birdies against a lone bogey to stay within touching distance of the leader.

"I didn’t hit the ball very good but I played really sharp golf and that’s good to see," said the 26-year-old, who has three wins in Asia.

"I'm happy that I'm able to focus and get up and down when I miss it, and make some putts."

A total of eight players from the world's top-50 are in the field at the Thailand Golf Championship which is offering 38 world ranking points to the winner.