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Jimenez keeps three-shot lead in Switzerland

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09/04/2010 - Crans Montana, Switzerland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Miguel Angel Jimenez protected his three-shot lead at the European Masters Saturday with a three-under 68 in the third round.

Jimenez appeared to have shot a 67 after rolling in a long birdie putt at the 18th hole, only to call a one-shot penalty on himself after the round.

The infraction occurred eight holes earlier at No. 10 when Jimenez picked up his ball in the fairway, mistakenly believing he could lift and place it. The ball was near a sprinkler head.

Instead of signing for a par on the hole, Jimenez, who is chasing his third win of the season, gave himself a bogey. He new immediately that he had made a mistake.

"I thought 'What are you doing?'" Jimenez said. "But I'm still feeling good."

The 46-year-old Spaniard took a three-shot lead into the round after firing a 61 on Friday, and he remained ahead by the same count Saturday at 17-under 196.

Trailing him again was Edoardo Molinari, who also shot a 68 to stay three back at 14-under 199. Fellow Italian Matteo Manassero, 17, carded a 69 to share third place with Steve Webster (64) at 13-under 200.

No one else was within six shots of Jimenez's lead heading into the final round at the Crans-sur-Sierre course.

The final threesome of Jimenez, Molinari and Manassero was bothered all day by noise in the gallery. Jimenez's caddie repeatedly scolded spectators to keep quiet and put their cameras and cell phones away.

Molinari screamed at one shutterbug on the No. 7 tee, pleading for him to wait until after he hit the ball to take a picture. Molinari still knocked his tee shot onto the green at the 331-yard par four, but he missed the eagle putt.

He tapped in for a birdie instead, the first of three in a row for the talented Italian, who was named to his first Ryder Cup team last Sunday after winning the Johnnie Walker Championship for his second victory of the season.

Despite the birdie run by Molinari, Jimenez was still able to protect the three-shot edge he carried into the round as both players made four birdies on the front nine.

Jimenez's lead was cut to two strokes by a bogey at the par-four 12th, where he knocked his first two shots into the rough and then chipped through the green with his third.

Molinari bogeyed the 13th to again fall three behind, but Jimenez followed with a bogey at the 14th.

While Molinari parred his final five holes, Jimenez picked up birdies at the 15th and 18th to seemingly build a four-stroke lead.

That was, until the score for the 17-time European Tour winner changed moments after the round. He said he was still happy with a three-shot lead.

"We'll see what happens tomorrow," Jimenez said.

NOTES: Ten of Jimenez's 17 tour wins have come after the age of 40...Jimenez and Molinari are the only players from Colin Montgomerie's European Ryder Cup team in the field this week...Manassero was the 2009 British Amateur champion.

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