2015 Australian Masters: Millar takes lead over packed leaderboard at Huntingdale

A packed leaderboard ensures a tense finish for the 2015 UNIQLO Australian Masters.

Matthew Millar will take a one stroke lead into the final round of the 2015 UNIQLO Australian Masters and looking for only his second professional victory of his career.

After playing on the European Tour, Asian and Japan Tours for much of his professional career, Millar took out his first professional win earlier in the year when he won the NZ PGA Championship. The New South Welshman has only recently taken up a teaching role at Gold Creek Golf Course in Canberra to spend more time with his family.

“It’s been a great year and you know, been you have there, had a victory and a number of seconds. The big goal was to come into these three and to try to win one. I always thought this would be my best chance,” Millar said.

“I think I’m going to have to play my best to win it, because no one’s going to hand it back to you. You’ve got guys like John Senden, Pete Senior, he’s won a thousand titles.”

In a strange twist on tomorrow’s final round, Millar will play alongside one of his students, Andrew Evans who is a shot behind at 6-under par after carding rounds of 68, 69 and 70.

In a tie for third place are Michael Sim, Matthew Guyatt, John Senden and two-time former Masters champion Peter Senior.

Senior would become the oldest ever Australian Masters winner if he prevails tomorrow and will fancy his chances if the field faces some tough weather conditions.

Most of the talk about the third round was centred about the struggles of Adam Scott which saw the world number 12 slide down the leaderboard. Scott is 7-over the card for his last 27-holes and is a long way from the five shot buffer had opened up at one stage during the second round.

It would be tempting to suggest that it was Scott’s short game that was the issue on Saturday, but in truth is was his all-round game at fault. Some early short putts were missed which eroded some confidence on the greens but Scott’s driver was also wayward, as well as his usually sublime iron play.

Scott has carded rounds of 64, 70 and 77 to be five shots behind Millar in a tie for 11th.

Scott, along with many other players are still very much in the tournament. With 19 players all within six shots of the lead, some tough conditions forecast tomorrow and those difficult closing holes at Huntingdale, the stage is set for a cracking finish.