Kennedy back in charge

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Saturday is living up to its billing as moving day at the New Zealand Open and it is leader Brad Kennedy that is heading the right direction at the Clearwater Golf Club.

His nearest competitors are either sliding the other way or becoming stagnant, allowing Kennedy to open up a three-stroke advantage at nine-under halfway through his third round.

Kennedy, the world No.228, held the overnight lead with Craig Parry and Josh Geary but has shaken both off on the front nine.

The OneAsia Tour veteran fell out of top spot with a three-putt bogey at the 1st, birdied the next two holes to wrestle it back then bogeyed the 4th to drop back out again.

But he caught fire again to pick up shots at the 5th, 7th and 9th to turn in three-under 33 and stuck it close at the par-five 10th to distance himself further from his chasers.

Geary is alone in second at six-under and did hold the outright advantage at seven-under when he made back-to-back birdies at the 4th and 5th.

However, he dropped a shot at the tricky par-three 9th, the second toughest hole all week at Clearwater and requiring a long carry over water into a stiffening breeze.

Parry, the 2002 New Zealand Open winner, is in a freefall and is now fifth equal at three-under. He birdied the 3rd but made a double at the 6th and followed it up with a bogey at the 8th.

It wasn't a statement of arrogance but Parry put the onus on Kennedy, Geary and the rest of the field the previous evening by stating the pressure was on them given his experience and already having lifted the Brodie Breeze Trophy.

With the Christchurch wind a definite factor, it should be playing right into the hands of Parry's low ball flight but he has failed to get into a rhythm.

Another who shared the lead at one stage on day three was 18-year-old Aussie amateur Jake Higginbottom.

The youngster announced himself to the world by heading a star-studded field after the opening round of the Australian Open last month and is furthering his reputation at Clearwater.

Birdies at the 3rd and 4th saw him tied with Parry and Geary at six-under before he made a bad bogey at the par-five 6th.

Leigh McKechnie holds fourth on his own at four-under and is even for his round through 11 holes, one ahead of countrymen Terry Pilkadaris, Rohan Blizard and Parry.

Nicholas Cullen and Doug Holloway, one and two-over respectively on Saturday, share eighth equal.

The wind is making the Clearwater layout a difficult beast and only 11 players are under par for their third rounds.

Kennedy is the best of those, five players - including Kiwi David Smail and Peter O'Malley - are at two-under and another five at one-under.

Only two holes have played under par for the week, the 2nd and 14th, which unsurprisingly are both par fives and predominantly playing downwind.

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