Perth, Western Australia (SportsNetwork.com) - Brody Ninyette carded a 5-under 67 on Saturday and grabbed a 1-stroke lead after three rounds of the ISPS HANDA Perth International.
Ninyette, who is making his second career start on the European Tour, ended 54 holes at 8-under-par 208. The Australian's only other tour start was at this event last year and he missed the cut.
Brett Rumford fired a 7-under 65 to jump into a share of second place at minus-7. He was joined there by JB Hansen (66) and Jin Jeong (69).
Fredrik Andersson Hed and Jason Scrivener carded matching 4-under 68s to move into a tie for fifth at 6-under-par 210. They stand alongside James Nitties (69), Richard Finch (69) and Ross Fisher (71) at Lake Karrinyup Country Club.
Second-round leader Peter Hedblom tripped to a 3-over 75 and tumbled into a tie for 13th at minus-4.
Most of the third round was played through steady rain. There was a brief delay after a downpour left standing water on some putting surfaces.
Ninyette used a back nine flurry to move to the top of a crowded leaderboard. He started with a birdie on the third. After back-to-back birdies at six and seven, Ninyette stumbled to a bogey at the eighth.
The Australian coughed up another shot at the 11th. He erased that mistake with his second birdie in as many days at the par-3 12th.
Ninyette, who mostly plays on the PGA Tour Australasia, was two back after that birdie, but he quickly erased that deficit. After making bogey the first two days on the 14th, Ninyette rolled in a birdie chance to move 6-under.
He was one back at the time, but followed with birdies on 15 and 16 to move one clear of the field. He parred the last two to end there.
"I've been playing well the last few days. It was good to hole a few putts and get myself into contention," Ninyette said. "It's obviously a very new experience, so try and get some sleep and see how we go tomorrow."
Rumford started on the back nine as players went off the first and 10th tees in threesomes for round three. He opened with birdies at the 10th and 12th.
The China Open winner posted back-to-back birdies at 14 and 15 to move to minus-4. He birdied the first before making three pars in a row from the second.
Rumford soared into the lead as he poured in three birdies in a 4-hole span from the fifth. However, he closed with a 3-putt bogey to dip back to minus-7.
"The greens were receptive with the wedges, and my wedge game was great today," Rumford admitted. "It was a mixed bag of everything that was working well. It's disappointing to have 3-putted the last, no doubt about it, but obviously my mind set, playing so well, was too aggressive on the last."
Hansen opened with birdies on the first and fourth. He made the turn at 5- under par thanks to birdies at seven and nine. Hansen birdie the 11th for the third day in a row to get within one of the lead.
After a pair of pars, Hansen carded his final birdie of the day on the 14th. He closed with four straight pars to wrap up a bogey-free round.
Jeong tripped to a bogey at the first, but came back with birdies at three and eight to make the turn at 5-under. Birdies at 11 and 14 gave Jeong a share of the lead.
He tripped to a bogey on No. 15, but closed with a birdie at the last to end one back.
NOTES: Rumford's 65 matched the course record ... This is the final event for players to climb inside the top 110 on the Race to Dubai standings ... Hansen is 90th in the standings .. Hedblom needs to win to keep his tour card for next season.
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