Monday 25 June 2018 00:16, UK
Martin Kaymer will go into the final round of the BMW International Open in a six-way share of the lead after another difficult day for scoring in Germany.
Kaymer's one-under 71 in the third round was enough to earn him a tie at the top on five under par, along with fellow German Maximilian Kieffer, while English duo Chris Paisley and Aaron Rai are also among the leading six players at Golf Club Gut Laerchenhof near Cologne
Lucas Bjerregaard and Scott Hend complete the logjam at the top of the leaderboard, although Hend was left to rue a costly lapse in concentration at the long 13th as he ran up a double-bogey seven after chunking a routine lob-wedge into sand and then three-putting from 10 feet.
Kaymer will be determined to give the home fans plenty more to cheer on Sunday as he bids for his first victory since landing his second major at the US Open four years ago, and the 33-year-old produced an excellent comeback over the final third of his round after dropping three shots in four holes around the turn.
The Ryder Cup star began his rally with a birdie at 13, and he made back-to-back birdies at the 16th and 17th before a solid par at the last capped a good day's work in which he was delighted to have "hung in there".
Kaymer became the third player in the clubhouse on five under after Bjerregaard matched the low round of the day, while Paisley recovered from a poor front nine with a barrage of birdies on the inward half.
Danish star Bjerregaard, a four-shot winner of the Portugal Masters nine months ago, carded eight birdies in his 67 which also included a double-bogey at the 12th and a further dropped shot at the 14th hole.
He was soon joined by the fast-finishing Paisley, who was two over for the day at the turn before hitting back with four consecutive birdies, and two more at 15 and 17 added up to a sparkling inward 30 and a round of 68 - one of only 10 sub-70 scores in the third round.
Kaymer, Rai and Kieffer all returned 71s before overnight-leader Hend completed his erratic 73 which featured four birdies, three bogeys and his expensive seven at the 13th.
The leaders can take nothing for granted over the final 18 holes with a further 20 players under the card for the tournament, with Kaymer's Ryder Cup team-mates Andy Sullivan and Thomas Pieters among a group of eight on three under par.
English veteran David Howell is one further behind as he looks for his first European Tour title in almost five years, while Sergio Garcia enjoyed a superb finish to his round to haul himself back into contention.
The Spaniard looked to be out of the running after he bogeyed the 10th for the third day running to slip to three over for the round, but he hit back with three straight birdies from the 13th before another at the last salvaged a 71 and left him well placed for a final-day charge on one under par.
