By Bernie McGuire at Wentworth

Adam Scott brilliantly birdied the last hole for a third day running at the BMW PGA Championship to boost his goal of a first win on English soil. Scott’s third birdie in succession on the par-five 18th handed the Queenslander a four-way share of third place and tied with American Billy Horschel (69), South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout (68) and Welshman Jamie Donaldson. Italian Francesco Laporta eagled his fourth hole in a round of 69 to move to the top of the board at 14 under as the 30-year-old seeks a first European Tour victory. American Laurie Canter (70) is in second place just a shot behind Laporta. Scott’s focus will be to get on top of his poor starts the past two rounds having been two over after three on both days. “That’s two days in a row it’s been a rough start but that can happen here,” said Scott. “You’ve just got to settle down and knuckle down and I did. I’ve left myself work to do the last three holes each day and so far, I’ve managed to do it OK. But I really don’t want to be in that position tomorrow. I’d like to get off to a good start and get the momentum on my side, and then this course can really present itself to you. “They are tough holes. You don’t have to do a lot wrong to make a bogey. But in saying that, in two good shots, you can make a birdie and really get moving in the right direction. “The opening three will be the key,” he added. “What I’m going to focus on now is the first three holes and try and get under par through three or four, and I think there’s a good score out there.”

After being two over after three those two days he proceeded to play the last 15 holes on day two in five under and four under over the same stretch on day three. If Scott can get through the early trio in 1-under as he did on day one when he almost holed out for an ace at the par-three second, we could be celebrating a first Australian success at European Tour HQ in 31 years. “I had to make that birdie on 18 if I want to think I’ve got a chance,” Scott added. “It’s so bunched. There’s going to be one or two guys, at least, tomorrow who shoot a good score. You can’t afford to be four back when there’s so many guys up there.” Scott’s won 31 times in his pro career but with his only win in the UK being the 2002 Scottish PGA Championship. The closest he has come to winning ‘south of the border’ in England was the heartbreak of his runner-up finish in the 2012 Open Championship at Royal Lytham and St Annes. Fellow Aussie Wade Ormsby emulated his close mate in dropping shots at the first and third holes but recovered with birdies on 13 and 18 in a score of 72 to remain at 5-under par to sit just outside the top 40.

THREE WEEKS after breaking an 18-year Aussie drought on the Champions Tour Rod Pampling is just one stroke off the lead heading into the final round of the Ascension Charity Classic in Missouri, Tony Webeck reports. Pampling (66) and playing partner Ken Tanigawa (65) were a combined 11-under for their group to assume two of the top three spots on the leaderboard at Norwood Hills Country Club, Tanigawa and Doug Barron (68) leading at 8-under followed by Pampling, Alex Cejka (67) and Jim Furyk (68) at seven under. Playing in front of a raucous gallery that Pampling estimated was one of the five largest they have played in front of all season, the Boeing Classic champion fed off their energy and Tanigawa’s heroics to stake his own claim to the title. “It’s great to have fans again back out there, just cheering and hooting and hollering and going on,” said Pampling. “The crazy ones coming down the stretch there, but it’s good. It’s great to hear. “(Ken) was making eagles from chip-ins, and I was making some birdies, so it was a lot of fun. “It’s great to see someone else doing well and making putts. We have seen enough where no one makes putts but when you see someone doing it, it’s great. “It gets you energised and it was nice to see some go in as well.” BMW PGA leaderboard

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