Immelman moves clear with 64

Trevor Immelman shot a brilliant 64 on Saturday to secure a two-stroke lead to take into the final round of the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth.

But the South African faces a battle-royal to win by far the biggest title of his career with his mentor and compatriot Ernie Els among those gunning for him.

Also lined up in striking distance, are second-placed Swede Niclas Fasth, Colin Montgomerie, Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam and the burgeoning young talent of British golf, Paul Casey.

But Immelman, who paid tribute to the help given early in his career by his childhood hero Els, should prove a hard man to catch.

He barely put a club wrong in amassing nine birdies on Saturday. Only a missed putt of four feet for a bogey five at the 15th blemished an otherwise perfect display which took him 14 under par overall. His round included a monster putt of some 30 feet for birdie at 16.

For a split second on the par-five last, he thought he had equalled the course record but his putt of 35 feet for eagle lipped out.

It left him two ahead of Fasth (68) and three clear of former Spanish Ryder Cup player Ignacio Garrido (66) and Els (67) who were both 11 under. Mathias Gronberg (67), Casey (64) and Gordon Brand Jnr (68) were bunched a further stroke behind them.

Montgomerie, meanwhile, had a 69 , a shot adrift of his old Ryder Cup partner Faldo who is continuing his recent return to form and confidence at nine under.

Faldo, 45, carded a 68 and has promised to be "revved up" as he chases his fifth PGA title and first since 1989.

Immelman, 23, is a relative lightweight at a couple of inches under six feet but has been working out hard in the gym this winter and his efforts have already earned him a big reward with victory in his native South African Open at the start of the new season.

That debut win proved to him he could mix it with the big names and a draw which pitched him alongside his close friend Els was the perfect prelude to a day of relaxed golf and low scoring.

"It made me more relaxed to be playing with Ernie. A lot of the shots I hit, he taught me," said Immelman who recalls sitting up to midnight as a youngster watching Els win the U.S. Open

"It really is a dream come true to be here in this position with him."

Els said: "Trevor always had dedication and desire to win. He's definitely showing it now. I've always said he was going to be our next superstar."

He was not so impressed with his own game. "I went sleep-walking at one stage taking three bogeys in a row to the turn," he told reporters.

Els promised to stay wide awake when the crunch comes on Sunday when Immelman's credentials as a man for the future will be put under the toughest of tests.

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