Dubuisson Running Away with Turkish Airlines Open


Victor Dubuisson fired a 9-under 63 to forge a five-stroke lead through 54 holes of the Turkish Airlines Open. The European Tour event, the third and last tournament in the "Final Series" in advance of next week's DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, is taking place at Montgomerie Maxx Royal in Antalya, Turkey.

Dubuisson, a 23-year-old from Cannes, France, enjoyed a flawless Saturday, posting five birdies on the front nine and four more on the back to reach 21-under 195, five shots ahead of Ian Poulter (68) and six in front of No. 1-ranked Tiger Woods (68), Sweden's Henrik Stenson (69), Spain's Alejandro Canizares (66) and Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin, who carded Saturday's low round, a 10-under 62.

"I will try not to think about tomorrow as it would put too much pressure on myself," Dubuisson said of his mindset for the final round. He's looking for his first career win on Sunday.

"But I know Tiger and Henrik will shoot very low scores, so I have to keep the same strategy. I have a five-shot lead, but with all these great players, tomorrow will be a very tough day."

Poulter, had five birdies and a bogey, but still came up short of pressing the Frenchman. "I couldn't hold on to Victor's tail a bit more around the back nine," said Poulter. "He got off to a lovely start and he's played some great golf today, and I guess a nice birdie at the last too make sure I'm in the final group with him tomorrow."

Woods posted three bogeys and seven birdies, with the final birdie coming on the 18th. "To birdie the last hole was a nice way to end, considering I struggled all day with my swing," Woods said. "I was getting away with it on the front nine, but I wasn't really playing well and it caught up with me on the back nine."

Stenson has a 150-point lead over Graeme McDowell (who's not playing this week) in the Race to Dubai, with Justin Rose and fellow Brit Poulter following in the standings on the European Tour's money list.

Despite being a half-dozen strokes behind Dubuisson, the Swede still thinks he has a chance. "Dubuisson seems to be playing really well; he's kind of pulled away," Stenson said. "But then it's a tight race for second, five, six guys tied on second position at the moment. Yeah, still some hope there for tomorrow. You know, one more day."

Alone in seventh at 202 after a 70 is South African Justin Walters, while eight back are Wales' Jamie Donaldson (68) and Rose (67).

The only American other than Woods in the field, Peter Uihlein, is at 6-under 210 following a 71 Saturday.

For all the scores, visit http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2013/tournamentid=2013088/leaderboard/index.html.