Paul Casey Moves Four Shots Clear In Abu Dhabi

Starting the day one shot off the pace, Casey moved to a 19-under-par total of 197.

Briton Paul Casey shot a sizzling nine-under-par 63 on Saturday to put himself in pole position going into the final day of the Abu Dhabi Championship.

Starting the day one shot off the pace, Casey moved to a 19-under-par total of 197, a healthy four shots clear of his nearest challenger and defending champion Martin Kaymer, who signed off with a tidy 65.

Joint overnight leader Graeme Storm, who carded a 69, was alone in third place with a 14-under-par total, one shot ahead of fellow Briton Anthony Wall who also shot a 69.

Swedish duo Johan Edfors and Peter Hanson and South Africa's Louis Ossthuizen were tied on 12-under-par, presenting a tough task to catch up with the leaders on Sunday.

The day belonged to Casey, the 2007 winner in Abu Dhabi. The Englishman set the tone of his bogey-free round with a birdie-birdie start and kept the momentum rolling all the way through to notch a total of nine birdies.

"It's always enjoyable to shoot a 63 -- it was a lot of fun. The plan was to go there and stick to my game plan and that was to put the ball in the fairway and give myself lots of birdie opportunities," Casey told reporters.

"Martin (Kaymer) is capable of shooting low numbers and if he shoots the same number that I shot today, it would require me to play some very good golf in order to beat him," he said.

"I just want to shoot an under par round tomorrow and see what happens," Casey added. "I am playing good golf and there is no added pressure (to win)."

SLOW START

Unlike Casey, Germany's Kaymer needed to overcome a slow start to shoot a good round, which included five birdies and an eagle on the par-five eighth.

"It was kind of a slow start as I wasted some birdie opportunities on the first holes and it was quite frustrating. Finally, I made one on the seventh and followed it up with an eagle.

"Picking up three shots in two holes gave me the motivation for the back nine," said Kaymer, who last year led by six shots going into the final round.

"Paul is still four shots ahead and I think I would require to shoot something like seven under. It depends on the weather also, but I think the forecast is okay."

World number two Sergio Garcia returned to form, shooting a 67 to move to tied 20th place on eight-under-par.

"I felt comfortable on the course today and there was a marked improvement in my game as I hit some quality shots out there," said the Spaniard.

"It's difficult to catch up with the leaders on Sunday, but I will come out and play as well as I can," he said. "I could have given myself a better chance, but those back-to-back bogeys (on the fifth and sixth) didn't help the cause.

"The good thing about my game is that I am able to control the flight of my shots," added Garica, who reeled off five birdies in a row, starting from the 17th -- his eighth hole of the day.

"It's the start of the year and I am getting into the rhythm."