SEOUL, April 30 (Reuters) - Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez and Australian Brett Rumford were in the driving seat at the Ballantine's Championship on Saturday before rain and the threat of lighting brought an early end to the third round. The weather forced players off the Blackstone Golf
Club course near the South Korean capital just after the leaders had completed their front nine, tied on 10-under.
The 33-year old Rumford fired an even-par 36 with a bogey and a birdie and witnessed his overnight lead slip away as Jimenez holed three birdies to make the turn at 33.
Rumford, chasing his fourth European Tour title at the event co-sanctioned by the European, Asian and Korean Tours, parred his first six holes before he bogeyed the seventh.
The Australian recovered with a birdie on the eighth that brought him back for a share of the lead with Jimenez.
"That was some tricky pins out there today. They were placed up on the top part of all the tiers and ridges, and it was pretty tricky trying to get on the right tier," he said.
"Obviously with the weather and the rain, there's a lot of growth on the front nine which made the greens really slow. Speed was my biggest battle out there and I just have to stay patient and see what happens tomorrow."
Jimenez, 47, started the day with consecutive birdies at the first and second holes and added the third with a 15-foot put on the eighth.
"I played very well in my first nine holes. I hit it very well and I'm happy with my three birdies," the pony-tailed Spaniard said. "Tomorrow's a marathon with 27 holes to play but I'm feeling good."
Rhys Davies of Wales was in third place, two stokes behind with seven holes remaining, while England's world number one Lee Westwood was tied for 11th, four strokes off the pace after 12.
Club course near the South Korean capital just after the leaders had completed their front nine, tied on 10-under.
The 33-year old Rumford fired an even-par 36 with a bogey and a birdie and witnessed his overnight lead slip away as Jimenez holed three birdies to make the turn at 33.
Rumford, chasing his fourth European Tour title at the event co-sanctioned by the European, Asian and Korean Tours, parred his first six holes before he bogeyed the seventh.
The Australian recovered with a birdie on the eighth that brought him back for a share of the lead with Jimenez.
"That was some tricky pins out there today. They were placed up on the top part of all the tiers and ridges, and it was pretty tricky trying to get on the right tier," he said.
"Obviously with the weather and the rain, there's a lot of growth on the front nine which made the greens really slow. Speed was my biggest battle out there and I just have to stay patient and see what happens tomorrow."
Jimenez, 47, started the day with consecutive birdies at the first and second holes and added the third with a 15-foot put on the eighth.
"I played very well in my first nine holes. I hit it very well and I'm happy with my three birdies," the pony-tailed Spaniard said. "Tomorrow's a marathon with 27 holes to play but I'm feeling good."
Rhys Davies of Wales was in third place, two stokes behind with seven holes remaining, while England's world number one Lee Westwood was tied for 11th, four strokes off the pace after 12.
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