Forsyth moves three shots clear

Britain's Alastair Forsyth will take a three-stroke lead into the Volvo Masters final round on Sunday after overshadowing tournament favourite and playing-partner Sergio Garcia.

The Scot, whose only victory came in the 2002 Malaysian Open, holed several big putts on his way to a four-under-par 67 that took him clear of world number 10 Garcia and the Spaniard's Ryder Cup team mate Ian Poulter of Britain.

Forsyth holed a 25ft putt on the 13th moments before play was suspended for nearly an hour and a half due to lightning, having also run in a 30-footer earlier on.

When he rammed home a 20ft birdie on the 16th, Forsyth cancelled out the bogey he picked up after the suspension and he extended his lead by dropping in a six-footer on the 17th for his sixth birdie.

"The suspension didn't come at a good time for me because I'd just holed another big putt and then I came back and bogeyed the 14th, but my finish more than made up for it," Forsyth said after finishing in near darkness.

"I was a bit nervous at the start and no doubt I will be tomorrow because there are good players breathing down my neck and three shots is not enough."

The 13th green was one of three holes inadvertently mown during the suspension but the players were informed of the fact and Garcia refused to blame a faster green for his bogey when play resumed.

"I would have liked to have putted out before the break but the hooter went," Garcia said, having also missed a two-footer on the 12th.

"It was a shame and so was the putt on the 12th because that caused a real momentum change. Alastair's short-game was spooky, though. It seems he can make almost any putt he looks at."

Poulter chipped in on the 16th on his way to a 69 as he made a last-ditch bid for a win this season.

Darren Clarke refused to bow to the course following his 11 on the 17th hole the previous day as he bounced back with a 68, only marred by a bogey on the last, to climb into eighth place.

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