Abu Dhabi: Barring a huge reversal of form over the final round of 18 holes, Germany's Martin Kaymer looks set to be crowned 'kaiser' today at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, a tournament he has made his very own.
The 23-year-old unleashed another round of top-class driving and putting to shoot an impressive four-under 68 round and maintained his six-stroke lead.
The reigning Rookie of the Year is comfortably perched at the top with a 17-under aggregate of 199, with England's Anthony Wall racing into second place with a seven-under 65 (205), while Henrik Stenson slipped to third, a stroke behind on 10-under 206.
While Wall and fellow Englishman Lee Westwood shared the third-round honours with their seven-under 65s, Kaymer once again came up with a confident round.
In fact the final hole yesterday, playing alongside Stenson, summed up his chances. Kaymer's second shot landed in the rough, while the Swede was in line for an eagle attempt.
Unhappy
Kaymer, who was unhappy with his chipping on Friday, drew loud applause when he landed his chip shot inches from the hole and then finished off with a birdie, his fourth of the round and 17th in 54 holes, apart from the eagle with which he started on the opening day.
Stenson, on the other hand, agonisingly watched his eagle putt miss the 18th hole and was left ruing the three bogeys yesterday which saw him finish in third place.
"I can't wait for tomorrow now. I plan just to stick to my game plan and we'll see what happens," said Kaymer.
Kaymer, who carried a six-shot lead into yesterday's third round, said birdies on the first two holes set the tone. "I felt nervous but two birdies on the opening two holes settled me down and gave me a lot of confidence over the next 16 holes."
Stenson said he was not 100 per cent confident of his long game.
"Off the tee I am struggling a little bit," he said.
"It was hard to try and get back with someone who starts birdie, birdie. I was trying to make up ground but then hit two or three wayward shots that cost me two bogeys coming in.
"But that is the name of the game when you play catch up. I will keep trying and if I can't win, I'll play for second place," said the Dubai-based Swede, who was runner-up here in 2006.
However, both Wall, six shots behind the leader, and Westwood, a further two shots off the pace, feel the title race was still on.
"If Kaymer hits in the rough three or four times in the first few holes then we all have a chance, so who knows," said Wall.
Westwood said: "The nearer the finishing post comes for Martin the harder it will get. It is not an easy golf course and if you start missing the fairways it becomes very difficult."
Kaymer's only worry despite his comfortable lead will be that in the previous two editions, the leader after 54 holes failed to win the title and in recent history Greg Norman blew a six-shot lead to lose by five shots to Nick Faldo in the 1996 US Masters.