Crans-Sur-Sierre, Sept 07: Eduardo Romero leads European Masters at end of second round. Argentine Eduardo Romero led the European Masters by two shots after the third round on Saturday, staying on course to become the European tour's oldest winner. The veteran Cordoban's four-under-par 67 took him two strokes ahead of South African Ernie Els on 13-under-par 200, with overnight leader Robert Karlsson a further stroke back. Romero caught Karlsson, his playing partner, by eagling the first and though he trailed the Swede and Els by a shot at the turn he proved more consistent over the back nine to move ahead. At 49 years and 52 days old, Romero, winner of the event in 2000 and 1994, will be tour's oldest champion if he completes his third European Masters victory, one year and 18 days older than Des Smyth when the Irishman won the 2001 Madeira Island Open.


Four years of doing yoga is Romero's explanation for his continued success when he will be eligible to play seniors golf next year.


"The mental exercises I do with my yoga make me feel strong," said Romero. "I don't feel 49 years old in my head and I'm very strong, especially this year, when I'm hitting the ball 15 yards further."

Romero appreciates he faces a tough battle to break the tour's age record. "It will be tough because Ernie is one of the world's best players -- but me, too!


"Karlsson is very powerful and the players on nine-under will be dangerous, so it is going to be difficult."


Els, after starting two strokes adrift of Karlsson and one behind Romero, roared to the top of the leaderboard with five early birdies but ran up four successive bogeys from the 11th.


The world number two and European number one also bogeyed the 16th but claimed second place overnight with three birdies in the last four holes.


"For a while I thought I was going to shoot really low and then for a while I thought I wasn't going to break par," said Els.


Defending champion Karlsson, who won from start to finish last year and also led the first two rounds, came home in three over, his biggest mistake coming with a double-bogey on the 11th.


"I said yesterday I didn't mind if I wasn't leading for a seventh round as long as I got back my lead on Sunday," said Karlsson. "Ernie will be playing with two guys who've won here before but he's won one or two times himself so Idon't suppose he'll be worried about that."


Michael Campbell and Trevor Immelman, who began sharing third place with Els, slipped down the field, Campbell finishing seven shots off the pace with a 73 and Immelman slumping nine strokes behind following a 75.


Leading scores after the third round of the European Masters golf tournament at the par-71, 6,823 yard Crans-Sur-Sierre course on Saturday (Britain unless stated): 200 Eduardo Romero (Argentina) 66 67 67 202 Ernie Els (South Africa) 65 69 68 203 Robert Karlsson (Sweden) 65 67 71 204 Brian Davis 70 66 68, David Howell 68 69 67, Raphael Jacquelin (France) 69 67 68 205 Emanuele Canonica (Italy) 70 68 67, Paul Casey 68 70 67, Marc Farry (France) 66 73 66 206 Peter Hedblom (Sweden) 67 68 71 207 Michael Campbell (New Zealand) 67 67 73, Jarrod Moseley (Australia) 71 68 68, Erol Simsek (Germany) 70 70 67, Miles Tunnicliff 70 69 68 208 Andrew Coltart 70 72 66, Mark Foster 71 70 67, David Lynn 70 69 69, Alvaro Salto (Spain) 71 70 67, Charl Schwartzel (South Africa) 69 71 68, Patrik Sjoland (Sweden) 67 68 73, Richard Sterne (South Africa) 71 64 73


Bureau Report