James closes in on lead with 65

Michael Campbell plays out of trouble, lead now cut to two, after the third round of the English Open. Allsport

Ryder Cup veteran Mark James fired the low round of the day at the Forest of Arden on Saturday with a sparkling 65 to close to within three shots of Michael Campbell's lead in the Compass Group English Open.

James, who began the third round 10 strokes off the halfway pace, raced to the turn in just 30. Despite dropping a shot at the testing 12th, he then gathered two more birdies coming home for a nine-under-par total of 207, and third place going into the final day.

New Zealand's Campbell, who enjoyed a five-shot cushion overnight after opening rounds of 63 and 69, was never able to reproduce his scintillating form of the first two days but he did enough to preserve his overall lead.

A bogey at the second was then negated by a birdie-four at the third and, with his driving on occasions a little wayward, the 31-year-old had to settle for a sequence of pars coming in. A level 72 kept Campbell at 12-under for the tournament on 204 and two shots clear of England's Lee Westwood, who carded a third round of 67.

Colin Montgomerie, the European number one for a record seven years in a row, returned a 69 to join Australia's Peter O'Malley, a 71, in a share of fourth place on 208. Although he was unhappy with the way he finished his round, the big Scot is still well in contention for a third European win in the space of just five weeks.

Argentina's Ricardo Gonzalez fired a 69 for sixth place on 209 while Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke and England's Steve Webster a tied for seventh on 210.

But James, Europe's Ryder Cup captain last year, produced the golfing story of the day, and in more ways than one. Following the release of his controversial new book "Into the Bear Pit", the 46-year-old came in for some searing criticism by American Ryder Cup player Tom Lehman on Friday.

Lehman, playing in this week's Kemper Open on the US Tour, has described the Englishman as "really low class" in response to comments which James made about him in his book.

"I think he ought to be proud that he's dragging the Ryder Cup through the muck, like he said he didn't want to do," an angry Lehman said. "I'm a little angry. I think it's really low class. If that's what he thinks is best, that's his decision."

Whether stung by this news from the other side of the Atlantic or not, James proceeded to produce one of the best rounds of his life on Saturday.

Playing in his 501st European Tour event, the Mancunian vaulted up the leaderboard from 13th place overnight into third spot on his own.

James could hardly have played any better, as he birdied all four of the par-threes and holed six putts from between 15 and 40 feet. "I think I've been saving them all up," he said afterwards.

In reaction to Lehman's earlier riposte, James said: "It was not my intention to stir up a hornet's nest.

"The Ryder Cup was devalued in 1999. I don't think my book will do that and I think the chances of a peaceful match next year are enhanced by addressing the problems of Brookline.

"I'm amazed by Tom's reaction. The American was, after all, cast as the villain of the piece at the time and, afterwards, he apologised. I don't think I've been particularly harsh on him in the book. I didn't approve of his actions but I have not launched into an anti-Lehman book."

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