March 21, 2009: Local favourite Wu Weihuang shot a two-under-par 70 to go 13-under and hold a three-stroke lead entering the final round of the RMB1 million Dell Championship in Xiamen。

　　However, the 40-year-old former martial arts star, who has recorded 14 top-10 finishes in 26 events on the Omega China Tour, will have to fend off a host of rising stars to seal a wire-to-wire win and a long-awaited first professional victory。

　　Asian Tour star Alex Wu Ashun, his 23-year-old playing partner and another Fujian favourite, shot 69 to remain second while American C.J. Gatto, also 23, fired a sizzling 66 to go eight-under and join the local duo in Sunday’s final flight。

　　Omega Championship winner Zhou Jun, 25, also shot 66 to share fourth place on six-under with Shang Lei, the 27-year-old former Asian Tour player who posted a 68, and 18-year-old Korean Eom Jae-woong, who carded a 71。

　　Wu’s lead narrowed from five shots to three when he bogeyed the par-five 17th, which Wu Ashun birdied, but the father of three seemed undaunted by the turn of events。

　　“I’m not nervous because I’m playing well and I know the course well. I’ll be relaxed on Sunday. I’m hoping for some good support because as well as my wife, I was happy to see a lot of family and friends in the crowd today, so that was great,” said Wu, who was fourth in last year’s Dell Championship。

　　Wu went as low as 15-under after bagging two birdies and an eagle on the first three par-fives, but bogeyed 16 and 17 as he appeared to be worn down by a blister on his heel from wearing new shoes。

　　“My foot really started to hurt and bleed on the back nine, which affected my concentration and I struggled a bit,” added Wu, who only took up golf in his late 20s。

　　Wu Ashun will also enjoy great support as the fast-rising youngster bids for his first professional victory after four top-10 and four top-20 finishes in nine appearances on the Omega China Tour。

　　“My mum watched me play golf for the very first time today, which was really nice. Some family and friends all came from my hometown of Zhangshou, which is an hour’s bus ride, so that made me happy,” said Wu, who has finished joint-seventh and joint-fourth in his last two Asian Tour appearances。

　　“I didn’t play well today, I was too rushed and tried too hard to chase birdies on the front nine. I need to be more relaxed on Sunday and play my usual game。”

　　Shenzhen-based Gatto, winner of last month’s Qualifying School and playing in his first 72-hole event since turning pro last August, turned heads with his surge up the leaderboard. The young American birdied five of the first seven holes on his way to equalling his best-ever score in a competitive tournament。

　　“I was just so excited to get back out there and make up for my finish on Friday,” said Gatto, who dropped four shots on the final four holes in the second round. “I just fought really well today, battled hard and holed some good putts, long and close. I earned it today, because I actually didn’t hit the ball that well。”

　　Zhou also soared into contention with a 66 that gave him an outside chance of back-to-back victories following his breakthrough win in last October’s season-ending Omega Championship。

　　“That win has given me a lot of confidence and my mental game is much stronger now, although today all parts of my game were good,” he said. “I was aiming for a top-20 finish at the start of the week and after two rounds I felt I would achieve that. That relaxed me, which may have helped today。”

　　Zhou’s only dropped shot came at the 215-yard, par-three 16th, which five of the top six players bogeyed。

　　Chinese Taipei star Lin Keng-chi, the 1995 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, posted a 72 to lie seventh on five-under, one stroke ahead of Chen Xiaoma, who shot 70。

　　Zhang Lianwei shot 72 to remain three-under. The Chinese legend shares ninth place with 20-year-old Singaporean Derek Goh Kun Yang, who posted a 69, and Kong Weihai, who came home in 74. Defending champion Li Chao carded a 73 to fall back into a share of 12th place。

　　Chen Jian can lay claim to the most topsy-turvy first three rounds. The Kunming-based teaching pro was second after an opening 67, followed that with an 81, then bounced back with another 67 to go one-under。

　　This year’s champion will walk away with a cheque for RMB180,000 and a new Dell Latitude XT2 tablet PC, an upgrade of the XT version presented to Li Chao last year。

　　Dell will also present the runner-up with a Latitude E4200 notebook and the third-placed finisher with a Latitude E4300, and award a Latitude E4200 to the first player to record a hole-in-one during the tournament。