Trio lead into final round

Leading Ryder Cup contender Miguel Angel Jimenez birdied the final hole to sit in a three-way tie for the lead in the Algarve Portuguese Open after Saturday's third round.

The 40-year-old Spaniard carded a two-under-par 70 for a two-shot lead on 11-under with fellow-Spaniard Ignacio Garrido and England's David Lynn at Penina.

Jimenez, who led the second round by a stroke, can pass one million points on the European Ryder Cup table on Sunday if he picks up the 208,330 points for first prize.

While Jimenez and Garrido, who carded 69, were already well placed, Lynn came through the field with a 66, bouncing back from an opening double-bogey to eagle the 18th as he bids for his maiden title.

Five players were two shots off the lead, among them Scot Raymond Russell, who equalled the course record 65. On a crowded leaderboard, just three strokes separate the top 20 players.

Jimenez goes into the final round looking for a second victory of the season and third of the Ryder Cup campaign that will put him top of both Ryder Cup tables. Victory will also see him top the European money-list.

Jimenez, the 1997 Ryder Cup vice-captain, is trying to avoid thinking about the match with the U.S. but he is on the brink of following his 1999 appearance and becoming the first European to clinch a place in Bernhard Langer's team for Oakland Hills, Michigan, in September.

Neither Garrido, in 40th on the European Ryder Cup points list, nor Lynn, in 38th, are in such a healthy position but they can climb the table rapidly with a victory.

The two Spaniards are hoping to bounce off each other in the final round but the two former Ryder Cup players' close friendship might be tested if they are neck and neck down the closing holes.

"If things start going badly for one of us the other will try and keep him going but it can help one player but then the other might lose concentration," said Garrido.

"It is important to be yourself on the course and forget who you play with but if I have to support anyone it will be Ignacio," added Jimenez.

Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell survived a scare on the final hole when he thought he had run up a two-shot penalty when his caddie smoothed out a ridge behind his ball in the bunker, caused by playing-partner Raul Ballesteros's shot out of the sand.

McDowell had signalled for Ballesteros's caddie to do the raking but his own caddie stepped in before he could stop him and the Irishman feared he had broken the rules as it could be construed his bagman was testing the sand.

After first being told by a course referee that he had incurred a penalty, European Tour chief referee John Paramor was contacted, the penalty was wiped out and 24-year-old McDowell still has a chance to claim his second career title as he finished on eight under.

The 40-year-old Ian Woosnam, the only player at Penina warming up for the U.S. Masters, was still in touch on the same score.

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