A case of deja vu for Garcia

Sergio Garcia is in line to repeat his Murphy's Irish Open victory of last season shooting a third round five-under-par 66 to lie just two shots behind leader Rolf Muntz.

The 20-year-old Spaniard finds himself in exactly the same position as last year when he went on to win the tournament with a closing 64 having been two shots behind.

This time Garcia, who slipped down the leaderboard with a second round 70, came back to life finishing on 13-under, 200, the same score as Swede Patrik Sjoland, who fired a 71.

"I just tried to keep focused," said Garcia. "My caddie Glenn told me not to worry because there were some good birdie opportunities to come.

"Since then I've hit a lot of fairways and greens and that's what you have to do to play well here."

Dutchman Muntz, 31, shot his third successive score under 70 carding a three-under, 68, to move to 15-under. "I can't see it being an automatic drive," said Muntz after chipping to four feet for a birdie on the 552-yard last which Garcia was unable to match after driving into sand.

"I can't control what somebody else does, just myself. But I've been striking it great, seeing the lines of the putts and I just hope that continues and I can stay out in front."

Leading Irishman with a round is go is Paul McGinley, who added another 66, to leave himself five shots off the lead, he said: "This is one of the best atmospheres in any Irish Open I've played.

"With the 18th hole in the town it's like St Andrews and it's something special. The crowd spurs you on and they definitely help when you are in contention."

while pre-tournament favourite Darren Clarke carded his best score so far, a 68, for a three round total of three-under, 210.

Double U.S. Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal faces a fine from the European Tour after snapping his driver over his knee during his Irish Open third round on Saturday.

The Spaniard's perennial driving problems caught up with him again at the 17th hole and after hitting his ball into the rough he broke his driver, then calmly threw the shaft into a rubbish bin.

After hitting out of the rough, Olazabal ironically went on to birdie the hole, and the 18th as well, for the joint-best round of the morning,.

His five-under-par 66 hauled him to seven-under-par 206 and within six strokes of the leader just about to go out, Swede Patrik Sjoland.

"I didn't think I'd banged it that hard and I wasn't intending to break it," said Olazabal after being told by the tournament director the incident would be investigated and a decision then made over whether he should be fined or not.

"But the shaft must have been really weak. They don't make them like they used to.

"I guess it was just one of those things. One bad drive made me react. There's a chance of getting on for two at the 17th if you have a good drive and I thought I'd thrown the birdie chance away."

Olazabal's driving has long been his Achilles heel and although it has improved recently after a year's hard work, the driver is still inclined to let him down at any time.

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