Italian teenager Matteo Manassero made the most of perfect conditions at the Sentosa Golf Club to race two shots clear of the field at the Singapore Open after the completion of the delayed third round on Sunday.
Making up for time lost to three lengthy rain delays on the opening two days, the entire field returned to the Serapong Course at the crack of dawn and the Italian climbed to the top of the leaderboard on 11-under for the US$6 million tournament.
The 19-year-old, seeking a third European Tour victory, resumed his round on the fourth hole and immediately reeled off four successive birdies before adding two more on his back nine to sign for a bogey-free seven-under 64.
The players then headed straight back to the course to start their final rounds, hoping that the thunderstorms that almost reduced the event to 54 holes stay away long enough to complete the tournament on Sunday.
South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen sits alone in second place on nine-under par after the 2010 British Open winner fired a six-under 65 to move a stroke clear of Briton Chris Wood.
Three-times Singapore Open champion Adam Scott of Australia remains on course to mount a challenge for a fourth title after a two-under 69 left him four strokes adrift of Manassero but overnight leader Thomas Bjorn had a round to forget.
