Cejka returns to form to take lead

Alex Cejka's decision to reshape his game to challenge for a Ryder Cup place came good on Saturday when he took a two-shot lead after the third round of the Lancome Trophy.

The 29-year-old German, who has played sporadically this season as his game underwent an overhaul, mastered a troublesome wind to card a five-under-par 66 for an 11-under-par 202.

South Africa's Retief Goosen and three Britons - European rankings leader Darren Clarke, Stephen Gallacher and Dean Robertson, who was second overnight - lie two strokes adrift.

Second round leader Nick O'Hern of Australia had a see-saw day as he sandwiched three birdies inside an opening double-bogey and two bogeys, to drop back to a share of sixth place, three strokes off the pace.

Cejka surged past him with three birdies before the turn and two in the last three holes, showing off a reshaped swing and improved putting stroke.

He has played only 12 European Tour events this year, with his best finish 18th in his first tournament of the year, the Heineken Classic in Australia.

His revival at St Nom la Breteche puts him in with a chance of his fourth European Tour title five years after he won his other three - the Andalucian Open, Austrian Open and his biggest coup, the prestigious Volvo Masters at Valderrama.

But the 218,461 Ryder Cup points on offer for victory is the prize most on his mind: "I'm nearly 30 and I don't want to be playing Ryder Cup when I'm 40.

"I want to play as soon as possible and next year's match is my target.

"I got very close the last time, right up to the last couple of events, and this time I want to make it.

"I'm going to play in every tournament to try to achieve my goal, so I needed to take it a little bit easy and have a restful year.

"And it's given me chance to work hard on my game, especially my short-game. I've been with my coach Peter Karz at my Munich club for nine years so he knew just what we had to do.

"There's a long way to go before the Ryder Cup but my short-game is getting better all the time."

Triple tour winner Goosen is also back in the frame after a lull caused, he said, 'by getting lazy' for the last few months.

"My caddy sacked me in America and went to Sergio Garcia and I had four different caddies in four tournaments, that didn't help me either," said Goosen.

"But I've snapped out of it. Nick Price gave me a lesson at the NEC and I feel good again."

The South African revealed he had a bet on with playing partner Michael Campbell, whom he outshot by a stroke to leave the New Zealander a shot adrift on the leaderboard.

"Michael's bought a new Ferrari and I've got a cover (hood) from my old one, so we played for it, but he lost so he's got to pay 600 pounds ($845) for it now."

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