BMW Masters: Spaniards hunt down US star Guthrie.

Shanghai. Day three of the BMW Masters in Shanghai sees a familiar name at the top of the leaderboard: Luke Guthrie. However, the rising American star finds himself sharing the lead for the first time this week. Starting the day five shots off the lead, Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bello (-8) carded a bogey-free round of 67, including five birdies, to pull level with Guthrie (-8), who bogeyed the final hole to finish on level par for the day. With 20 players bunched within six shots of each other, many of the European Tour’s biggest names could yet challenge the two leaders with a low final round at the opening event of the European Tour’s ‘Final Series’. Their closest rival with one round to play is Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño (-7), winner of the 2006 BMW Asian Open, who matched his compatriot Cabrera-Bello’s 67 to end the day alone in third place.

Guthrie, one of the new crop of exciting young Americans, will start in the last flight on the final day of a tournament for only the second time in his professional career. “If you had told me at the beginning of the week that I would be tied for the lead going into the fourth round, I’d have taken it,” said the 23-year-old. “I guess I look calm on the outside, but will obviously be pretty pumped up in that situation. Especially on the first tee and 18th hole. I’m really looking forward to that.”

“I’m very happy with my performance today and it gives me a lot of confidence,” said Cabrera-Bello. “I’m enjoying the BMW Masters so far. Hopefully I can keep those feelings tomorrow and take them onto the golf course with me. I will play my best and try to enjoy it.”

Just behind the leading group, it was all change on the leaderboard on Saturday. As well as Cabrera-Bello and Fernandez-Castaño, Grégory Bourdy (-6) and Denmark’s Søren Kjeldsen (-2) also shot five-under 67s. Bourdy’s flawless round saw him climb to fourth behind Guthrie and the two Spaniards. Among the Frenchman’s five birdies was the shot of the day: a monster 100-foot putt for birdie on the ninth green. Scott Jamieson (SCO, -5), Paul Casey (ENG, -5), Craig Lee (SCO, -5), Pablo Larrazábal (ESP, -4) and Thongchai Jaidee (THA, -4) all start the final 18 holes on Sunday still harbouring hopes of a top result at Lake Malaren Golf Club. Austrian Bernd Wiesberger, ambassador for BMW Austria, is among a group of players on three under par, which also includes former world number one Lee Westwood (ENG).

For a long time, it looked as though last year’s “Race to Dubai” winner Rory McIlroy (-2) was mounting another serious challenge in Shanghai, as he shot four birdies in a row on the back nine. However, the Northern Irishman then double-bogeyed the 18th to drop back to 14th and into a tie with BMW Golfsport Ambassador Maximilian Kieffer. The German’s scorecard featured three bogies and five birdies. “The wind was not such an issue today, which gave you the chance to make a few more birdies,” said Kieffer. “I played well for the first 16 holes, but then came the two bogies on 17 and 18. That is obviously very frustrating. On the whole, however, it was a solid performance. Let’s wait and see what the conditions are like tomorrow. The trip to Shanghai has definitely been worth it for me. I have played alongside Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell, and gained a lot of experience from that. I am really grateful to BMW for the opportunity to play here.”

Martin Kaymer (level par) and Marcel Siem (+7), the other two Germans in the field, also broke par on day three. However, they are already well off the lead. As well as three birdies, Siem also shot his first eagle of the tournament, but this was cancelled out by two bogies and a double-bogey on the penultimate hole. “When the golfing gods are not on your side, then you are always going to struggle in these windy conditions,” said Siem. “I actually played good golf, but have to say I was really unlucky today. I will try to put together another good round tomorrow. Maybe I can climb into the top 30.”

The world-class field in Shanghai will get the deciding round underway at 06:40 local time. (00:40 CET). When flight 21 takes to the course at 10:20, it will see Kieffer and McIlroy reunited in a repeat of Friday’s flight. They will be joined this time in a high-class trio by three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington (IRL, -2). 50 minutes later, Cabrera-Bello, Guthrie and Fernandez-Castaño will start out on what could be the biggest final round of their lives.