Ferrie storms into contention

Golf:England's Kenneth Ferrie, whose career has been limping along the last four years, equalled the European Tour record with an amazing 10-under-par 60 in Malaga on Saturday. After making the cut with nothing to spare at the Open de Andalucia, the former European Open champion charged all the way from joint 45th into a three-shot lead after playing his last 11 holes in a dazzling nine under.

It knocked no fewer than four strokes off his previous best Tour round and he became the 14th player to fall just one shy of the magical 59. Darren Clarke has done it twice.

The 32-year-old, who was in danger of losing his Tour card until the final event of last year, had to wait to see where he was placed with a round to go, though, as halfway leaders Maarten Lafeber, Jeppe Huldahl and Rikard Karlberg had not even teed off as he finished.

Only one under for the first seven holes, Ferrie birdied the next three, eagled the long 12th and then picked up further shots at the 14th, 15th and 17th.

That left him needing to hole his approach to the 449-yard last for the first-ever 59, but a birdie on one of the toughest holes on the par-70 Parador course was enough to keep a big smile on his face.

Ferrie was 11-under-par and after only three top-10 finishes since the start of 2007 he was in the hunt for a third Tour title.

Paul McGinley couldn't match Ferrie's achievement but he did make good headway with a 66. Birdies at seven, nine, 14 and 17 complimented a flawless round and left the Dubliner six off the lead on five under.