Forsyth eats up the ground

European Tour: Scotland's Alastair Forsyth was simply glad there was no halfway cut after an opening 76 but he now goes into the final round of the Mercedes-Benz Championship just one shot off the lead.

Forsyth was 15 shots adrift on Thursday evening but then parted company with his caddie, shot 67 in the second round and today equalled the lowest round of his career with a brilliant 62.

That lifted the 31-year-old from a share of 42nd place to third on 11-under par, one behind Danish pair Thomas Bjorn and Soren Hansen.

Lee Westwood, 11-under after an opening 61 but struggling with a heavy cold, is a shot further back on 10-under alongside compatriot Simon Khan and Australian Richard Green.

Graeme McDowell heads the Irish challenge on six-under following a round of 69 with Paul McGinley shot an impressive 67 but remains at level par for the tournament. Darren Clarke's erratic form continued in Germany, a round of 77 moving him to five-over.

It is understood caddie Martin Gray had effectively "sacked" Forsyth, who admitted: "It had been coming, these things run their course.

"We spoke about it on Thursday night and thought we would call it a day on Sunday but I preferred to make a clean break of it and got a new caddie for Friday."

Ten shots off the pace overnight, Forsyth stormed to the turn in 31 and, after his sole bogey of the day on the 10th, carded four more birdies and an eagle for a matching inward half of 31.

"I was just happy there wasn't a cut after the opening day and then I played better yesterday and today was great," added Forsyth, winner of the Malaysian Open in 2002 but without a single top-three finish in the last two seasons.

"It was one of those days where I gave myself lots of chances and took pretty much of all them."

Bjorn carded a flawless 66 and was surprised with his own form after playing just once in the last seven weeks.

"I've never had a summer holiday since I was 14 and now with three kids I really wanted to spend some time with them," explained the 36-year-old.

"I was working very hard but things were going nowhere and it was nice to take some time out when the kids were out of school. I'm at a crossroads in my career. I've made a conscious decision about how I want to swing the club and play the game but I have no goals whatsoever.

"I just want to play some golf and enjoy myself and this is a huge step forward. I haven't had many rounds in the 60s and you're not going to compete in tournaments if you don't shoot low."

Hansen led by as many as three shots during the third round but bogeyed the last three holes, and was fortunate to escape with a five at the last after driving into water and almost hitting his third into it as well.

"Soren is a huge talent," Bjorn added. "He has sorted his putting out this summer, which was always the weak part of his game. I've always pushed him harder and harder to make him realise how big a talent he is.

"All he needs to do is win another tournament. I hope tomorrow it's me winning, but if not me, then Soren."