Golf: Claydon races into share of lead

Russell Claydon is hard to please. 'I didn't play well,' he said. He may have bogeyed the 15th and the last, but 11 birdies, a record for a European on the tour, in a nine-under-par course-record 63 in the third round of the Honda Open at Hamburg yesterday was not exactly cause for disappointment. It gave him a share of the lead with Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez, who, conversely, birdied three of the last four holes for a 65. The secret of Claydon's success was his putting, which appeared to be laser-targeted. He holed six putts of more than 30 feet and one at the 10th from 35 yards. Curtis Cup selectors have omitted Nikki Buxton and Wales's Vicki Thomas from the Britain and Ireland team to defend the trophy in the United States next month. The English and Scottish champions, Julie Hall and Catriona Matthew, were chosen.

(Photograph omitted)