Jimenez regains narrow lead

Miguel Angel Jimenez snatched back the lead at the European Masters on Saturday with fellow Ryder Cup players Sergio Garcia and Luke Donald sharing second place.

Jimenez had conceded a one-shot lead to compatriot Garcia at the end of the second round but his better back nine in shooting a third round five-under-par 66 for 15-under-par 198, helped him regain the lead.

Garcia increased his overnight advantage with an opening eagle. Three back-nine bogeys let in first European wildcard Donald and then Jimenez, however.

Garcia made a spirited recovery but came up a stroke short with a 68, while Briton Donald conceded a share of first place overnight by bogeying the last for an otherwise sparkling 65.

Jimenez is bidding for a fifth win of the year and successive tour titles. He is eyeing a record-equalling six wins of the year, matching the feats of, among others, his compatriot and inspiration Severiano Ballesteros.

"If I win my fifth title then I will be trying for the six, why not?" said Jimenez.

Being in contention so often is not sapping his energy, either, he insisted. Garcia had tried to persuade him not to play his fifth successive event next week in case it tired him for the following week's Ryder Cup match.

"I feel strong. I'm doing the right thing. I don't feel I need to take a break.

"I have my family with me here and I'm nice and relaxed.

"It's like being on holiday and it's good when you can be on holiday and make a good profit."

Donald was disappointed at not sitting alongside Jimenez on the leaderboard after an unusually high bounce on the last that took his ball off the green.

Earlier defending champion Ernie Els had complained that the greens should have been watered and Donald agreed.

"Some of the greens are inconsistent," the 26-year-old Briton said. "But I'm right where I need to be. It's nice to shoot three good rounds and validate Bernhard picking me.

"Having the three Ryder Cup players at the top is great news for Europe."

Four players share fourth place, four strokes off the lead, Els, 50-year-old Eduardo Romero, who is looking for his third European Masters title, Briton Graeme McDowell, one of Donald's successful Walker Cup team mates, and Australian outsider Craig Spence, the 1999 Australian Masters champion.

Els was also on 11 under last year, two shots behind Romero, and went on to win by six shots in a strong wind.

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