Darren Clarke and Thomas Bjorn top leaderboard

Denmark's Thomas Bjorn continued his love affair with Loch Lomond on Saturday, firing a five-under-par 66 to set up a last-day title shootout with his close friend Darren Clarke at the Scottish Open.

Briton Clarke, who led by three strokes at the start of the third round, carded a level-par 71 to finish alongside his former Ryder Cup team mate on 202, 11 under.

Two strokes back in a tie for third place were Benn Barham and David Drysdale of Britain and Argentina's Andres Romero. Raphael Jacquelin and Jean-Francois Remesy of France, Ireland's Damien McGrane and holder Tim Clark of South Africa were on 205.

It was Bjorn, though, who strode on to centre stage on Saturday at the scene of his unforgettable first European Tour victory 10 years ago.

"It (Loch Lomond) has got a huge place in my heart and always will have," he told reporters. "Any pro will tell you their first victory is the most special one.

"I don't think we play a finer venue on the tour. When it is like this and the weather is fine, it is spectacular.

"You won't find a place like it anywhere, it is very special," added Bjorn after registering six birdies and one bogey.

The 35-year-old Dane said that whatever the outcome on Sunday, he and Clarke would always be friends.

"All the things going on in Darren's life are for Darren to talk about," said Bjorn referring to the battle against cancer that Clarke's wife Heather is enduring.

"It is difficult to talk about but I am there for him. We are great friends, ever since we've been friends I've been there for him and it doesn't matter what it is.

"It extends way beyond the game of golf and any golf tournament but I know Darren well enough to know both of us will go out tomorrow to try to win."

Bjorn, who lifted the Irish Open title in May, said he had achieved his aim by moving into contention.

"I set out today to give myself a chance of winning this tournament and I succeeded," said the Dane.

"The last two days have been good. I played poorly in Wednesday's pro-am and on Thursday and I went to the range on Thursday afternoon and started thinking what I needed to do with my swing.

"It improved a little bit yesterday but today I played really well. That's a good thing to take into tomorrow."

Clarke, 37, said he had wasted several opportunities to build on his overnight lead.

"I had lots of chances on the front nine especially and towards the end of the round it cost me," said the Northern Irishman after bogeying two of the last four holes.

"I kept hitting it close to the hole and I just missed everything."

Clarke, without a win since November, said his friendship with Bjorn would be put to one side in the final round.

"He will be trying to beat me as much as I'll be trying to beat him," said Clarke.

"But we are only two ahead of another group of guys so it won't just be about the two of us."

The tournament is the final warm-up event in Europe ahead of next week's British Open at Hoylake.