Ireland's lead cut to one

One-stroke lead: McDowell and McIlroy

Third-round leaderboard:
Ireland -26
Italy -25
Sweden -25
Japan -19
South Africa -19
England -18
Wales -18

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This year's Omega Mission Hills World Cup lies in the balance after defending champions Sweden and Italy clawed back Ireland's lead to just one stroke after Saturday's third-round fourballs.

Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell remain best-placed for a wire-to-wire victory after they put together a bogey-free, eight-under-par 64 to move on to a 26 under total in Shenzhen, China.

They did not reach the same heights as their brilliant 14-under-par total in the opening-round fourballs on Thursday, however, and now find themselves under more pressure than they have hitherto faced this week.

Swedish duo Henrik Stenson and Robert Karlsson, who have yet to drop a shot, sit ominously at 25-under-par following a 62, with Italian brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari also just a shot off the pace after a flawless 61.

World number 10 McIlroy reflected: "It was still a productive day. We had a three-shot lead going out and it is now down to a one-shot lead, but we still very positive going into tomorrow.

"The holes that we played well, we both seemed to play well and that doesn't work very well in fourball, but we both played well.

"We probably left a few shots out there, but we are still in a great position going into tomorrow and we are still very positive."

Three-horse race

Given the form of the three leading groups, the next best countries, Japan (64) and South Africa (62), find themselves a sizeable seven strokes off the pace heading into Sunday's foursomes.

Meanwhile, England's Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher (63) and Wales' Stephen Dodd and Jamie Donaldson (64) find themselves a shot further back in a tie for sixth place overall.

"It seems to be a three-horse race, so barring any disasters in the foursomes, I can't see anyone but the top three teams winning," said McDowell, who finished 16th last year with Paul McGinley.

"We are both playing well and both playing with a lot of confidence, but we just didn't get the ball on the green today.

"We both played well on the same holes and didn't help each other out as we did on Thursday, but generally we both put the ball in play and both played well and we are both looking forward to tomorrow."

With both Molinari brothers making 20-foot birdie putts over the final two holes to earn a place in Sunday's final group, McIlroy and McDowell both escaped trouble at the par-three 17th.

Stenson then holed from eight feet at the last to join Italy at 25 under, before McDowell and McIlroy both missed makeable birdie putts at the last.

Throwing punches

"Ireland played great today," said Players Championship winner Stenson. "We were just throwing punches back and forth. I'm very pleased that we managed to creep a little bit closer and close the gap a little bit.

"We are right in the mix tomorrow and it's going to be Ireland and Italy in the last group. We are second from the back, so it's going to be a good day again tomorrow, I hope.

"We have the recipe from last year with a 63 in the foursome. If we can get anything close to that tomorrow, I think we have a good chance."

World number eight Stenson and Karlsson carved through the field last year with a brilliant nine-under 63 in the final round foursomes to win on 27 under.

Francesco and younger brother Edoardo, the current European Challenge Tour number one, have played in the last two World Cups, with 17th place in 2007 their best finish.

"I think it's been a great day for us. It's been a really good week, but today was probably the best day," said Francesco, who also finished eighth in 2006.

"We both played really consistent, good golf. We maybe left some chances out there, but you don't expect to hole every single putt.

"It's been really good and we are in good position for tomorrow. We will just try to keep playing like this and see what happens tomorrow."