Kevin Kisner leads WGC-HSBC Champions as Jordan Spieth makes a move

Kevin Kisner leads a tight leaderboard after a weather-affected third round at the WGC-HSBC Champions, where Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson have moved in to contention.

Spieth began the day 10 shots off the pace but carded nine birdies and no bogeys to close to within three of the lead, as Johnson posted a bogey-free 65 to get in to the tie for second at Sheshan International. 

But it was halfway leader Kisner that maintained his narrow advantage, recovering from temporarily losing his lead to Russell Knox by firing back-to-back birdies from the 15th to close an up-and-down 70.

At 16 under par, Kisner holds a one-shot lead over 2013 champion Johnson, China's Li Haotong and Scotland's Knox, who chose not to play the final hole due to darkness after earlier weather delays.

"I played good today," Kisner said. "The weather was difficult but I hung in there and made some birdies coming in to give myself a chance to be leading going into tomorrow.

The final group of Knox, Kisner and Branden Grace were asked by a tournament official on the 18th tee if they wanted to play the par five, with Grace making a birdie to finish 12 under and Kisner a par as Knox looked on.

England's Ross Fisher played his last eight holes in five under par to card a 65 and join Spieth and his Ryder Cup partner Patrick Reed on 13 under, with the American recovering from a double bogey on the fifth to shoot 68.

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BMW PGA Champion Byeong Hun An lies a further shot behind after posting two eagles over his final three holes, with Bernd Wiesberger alongside him despite his three-under 69 containing a double-bogey sixth at the 16th. 

On the up

World No 3 Rory McIlroy was also left rueing a few missed chances during his four-under 68, with the 26-year-old now heading in to the final round eight shots adrift.

McIlroy recovered from an early blemish to fire three consecutive birdies around the turn, with the Northern Irishman now fully fit after suffering from food poisoning earlier in the week.

"I feel much better," McIlroy said. "I feel like I played well from tee to green. I was glad to be back to 100 per cent healthy and could give it my all out there.

I gave myself a lot of chances but again I didn't really make anything on the greens, so that 68 really felt like a 73 or a 74.

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"I needed to go a little bit lower to give myself a chance going into (Sunday), but I'll try to finish off the tournament with a good score and get myself into the top 10 or the top five."

Rickie Fowler is in the group alongside McIlroy on eight under after matching his 68, with defending champion Bubba Watson one of several players a further stroke back.

Watch the final round of the WGC-HSBC Champions live on Sunday from 3am on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf