Golf: Gilford eyes first title in seven years

Former Ryder Cup player David Gilford is on course for his first tournament win in almost seven years in the Algarve Portuguese Open.

Gilford carded a third round 69 at Quinta do Lago to join a five-way tie for the lead at 11 under par.

Overnight leader Padraig Harrington, Yorkshire’s Simon Dyson, New Zealand’s Stephen Scahill and Germany’s Sven Struver were alongside Gilford with Swindon’s David Howell and Sweden’s Niclas Fasth another stroke adrift.

Gilford has twice appeared in the Ryder Cup and was Europe’s joint top points scorer in the victory at Oak Hill in 1995, famously partnering Seve Ballesteros and Bernhard Langer to victories and beating Brad Faxon in the singles.

The 35-year-old from Crewe has struggled to reproduce that form since however, slumping to 119th on the Order of Merit last year with just three top 10 finishes in the last three seasons.

But four birdies and one bogey in today’s round kept him firmly in contention for a first victory since the European Open in 1994.

‘‘It’s nice to be back in contention,’’ said Gilford who sold his prized herd of Hereford cattle at the start of last year. ‘‘I’ve enjoyed the week.

‘‘I haven’t played well the last couple of years but I’ve been having lessons from David Whelan, who coaches Gary Orr and Dean Robertson, for the last 18 months and I think I’ve improved my technique and I’m hitting it further.

‘‘I’ve also been going to the gym and doing a bit of weight-training to put some weight back on after I lost a lot when I picked up a virus last year and didn’t play a tournament until May.’’

Gilford added: ‘‘As for tomorrow, there are a lot of people very close so it’s anybody’s to win. I’ll need quite a good score assuming the weather stays the same, probably a 67 at least.’’

Harrington, who carded a brilliant 64 in the first round, could only manage a 71 on Saturday but was delighted not to have fallen behind after three costly three putts.

‘‘I thought when I three-putted the 17th I was happy to do it today and not on Sunday,’’ the 29-year-old Dubliner admitted. ‘‘I’m still leading the tournament on Saturday night, what more can you ask for.

‘‘I missed an opportunity to shoot five or six under when the tournament would have been mine, and although I’ve handed others the opportunity I haven’t taken away the opportunity from myself.

‘‘Three three-putts kill you and make the difference between a 68 and a 71. It also takes confidence away from your longer putts when you’re not so confident on the short ones but I’m still in the lead so that’s fine.’’

Dyson’s 67 was a welcome return to top form for the 23-year-old from Malton who had made an indifferent start to his rookie season on tour.

He won three times on his way to winning the Asian Tour Order of Merit last year but so far this season has missed the cut five times in his 10 starts.

‘‘This is why we play the game, to be up there contending,’’ Dyson said. ‘‘I like to finish I can finish top 10 but from where I am I also like to think I can aim for the top three.

‘‘You never know going into the last round but the work I’ve done over the last couple of months seems to be paying off. It’s just a bit of fine tuning really but it all goes to make up my game as a whole.

‘‘Top 10 I would be happy, top three I’d be over the moon and if I win you’ll see how I feel tomorrow.’’

Struver had been the first to post an 11 under total after a superb round of 65 with seven birdies and no bogeys.

The 33-year-old from Hamburg, who has won three times on tour but not since the 1998 European Masters, credited an improvement in his putting for his return to top form.

‘‘When you have 29 putts, four less than normal, you can shoot a good score,’’ Struver said. ‘‘Eight years ago having 33 putts per round you would have still been in the top 20 every week but now you need to have 27 or 28 just to finish in the top 10.

‘‘Hitting-wise I am getting there so the next step is getting the putter to that standard and if I can do that I can compete again.’’