Cabrera takes narrow advantage

Argentine Angel Cabrera snatched the lead in the Volvo PGA Championship third round on Saturday, moving a stroke clear after a blistering run from the turn paved the way for a four-under-par 68.

The former caddie from Cordoba went birdie-birdie-eagle from the 10th to the 12th to finish at 12-under 204 going into the final day, but the tournament remains wide open with four players tied for second place.

Overnight leader Justin Rose of Briton produced an up-and-down 72 to end up a shot off the pace, level with Swede Joakim Haeggman, South African Darren Fichardt and Britain's Scott Drummond, yet to win on tour and playing in his first PGA Championship.

Britain's Darren Clarke was alone in sixth at 10 under after carding a 71, with tournament favourite and first round leader Ernie Els a further stroke back in a share of seventh, alongside six-times major champion Nick Faldo and Denmark's Thomas Bjorn.

World number three Els recovered from a poor front nine to get back on to the congested leaderboard, chipping in for eagle at the 17th and then collecting a birdie at the last for a level-par 72.

His rankings rival Vijay Singh, though, will have to produce something spectacular to get back into the hunt for the $750,000 first prize and stave off Els' bid to replace him as world number two.

Despite two closing birdies, the tall Fijian slipped back into a tie for 18th at six under, his 71 leaving him six shots behind Cabrera.

Four-times PGA Championship winner Faldo, 46, rolled back the years on his favourite course to finish three off the lead, in a good position to boost his Ryder Cup hopes when he plays his 100th round in the tournament on Sunday.

Cabrera is bidding for his first Wentworth title, but fancies his chances in the European Tour's flagship event.

"I've got a very good chance tomorrow because I'm playing much better now," the Argentine told reporters.

"I wasn't feeling very well last week with the flu but I'm fit now.

"A win will mean a great step forward to me because this is the most important event in Europe after the British Open."

Els, however, could be Cabrera's greatest threat in the final round as the South African hunts the world ranking points that could lift him close behind number one Tiger Woods.

"It was a fantastic finish again," said a beaming Els, who had dropped four strokes on his front nine. "I'm now six under for the last two holes this week and they've saved my round over the last two days."

However, he conceded he had struggled with negative thoughts until he arrived at the 16th, close to his house on the Wentworth estate.

"It was there for the taking today because conditions were perfect and I played badly until the end. The good thing is I'm still only three behind."

Colin Montgomerie's bid to win the event and also seal his British Open exemption is as good as over, as is his chance of regaining a top-50 place in the world rankings to qualify automatically for next month's U.S. Open.

The seven-times European number one, a three-times winner of the event, struggled to a 73 that left him nine strokes adrift of Cabrera.

Britain's Simon Khan became the latest European Tour player to fall foul of a slow-play penalty when he was docked a shot for poor times on the ninth and 12th.

That turned his 71 into a 72 to leave him eight strokes off the pace.

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