Jacquelin is Asian Open leader

SHANGHAI, April 21 (UPI) -- Raphael Jacquelin had birdies on two of his last four holes to hold on to a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the BMW Asian Open golf event in Shanghai.

Jacquelin has led after each round this week but needed a birdie at No. 17 Saturday to stay in first alone. He finished with a two-under-par 70 on the day and is at 12-under 204 after 54 holes. Scott Hend, who turned in a five-under 67 in the third round, is in second at 11-under 205.

Simon Yates, despite a bogey at No. 18, tied the course record at the Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club with an eight-under 64 Saturday to pull into a tie for third with Joakim Backstrom and Soren Kjeldsen at nine-under 207.

Backstrom, Hend and Yates all pulled even with Jacquelin at nine-under before Jacquelin birdied 15 and moved ahead. After Hend moved to 10-under, Jacquelin birdied 17 for the outright lead.