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England’s Dale Whitnell will take a four-shot lead into the final round of the Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed as he goes in search of a first DP World Tour title in Sweden.
A stunning 61 on day two in Stockholm had handed him a six-shot advantage after 36 holes and despite dropping a first shot of the week on the second, he responded with four birdies in his next five holes to lead by eight.
He would not have it all his own way, however, as he made a double-bogey on the ninth after a poor tee-shot and another on the 16th after finding the water, although birdies on the 10th and 15th limited the damage.
German Ryder Cup hopeful Yannik Paul had cut the advantage to three with a tap-in birdie at the last as he completed a 68 but playing partner Whitnell followed him in from 15 feet to get to 19 under after a 70 and stay in pole position for victory.
“I had a couple of instances where it didn’t quite go to plan but I thought I kept my head, just tried to plug away and take one shot at a time,” he said.
“It is hard to go through a round of golf without dropping a shot, let alone two or three or four, so I sort of stuck to my guns, had a gameplan and tried to execute it.
“I mean it wasn’t a bad day, it wasn’t exactly ideal but it was more than acceptable.”
Scotland’s Richie Ramsay was six shots off the pace after a 69 as he looks for a fifth DP World Tour victory and second in as many seasons.
“The boys are playing well in front but I’m within touching distance and the goal was always to be in the mix on the back nine and I feel the back nine has a lot of opportunities,” he said.
“If I can just sort of jostle for position a little bit I can be right there, but you don’t know what they are going to do, all you have got to do is give your best, your 100 per cent and then if an opportunity arises, go for it.”
The Netherlands’ Anne van Dam matched the lowest round of the day with a 63 to be the leading woman at 12 under, a shot clear of English pair Matthew Jordan and Gabriella Cowley, with the latter making three eagles in her 64.
