Bjorn in charge

Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn has a two-shot lead going into the final round of the BMW International Open in Munich.

Bjorn carded a third-round 66 for an 18-under-par total as he seeks to regain the title he won two years ago.

Ryder Cup team-mate Bernhard Langer added to the good news for European captain Sam Torrance by recovering from a bout of food poisoning to card a 67 to lie joint second alongside Southampton’s Richard Bland.

And Torrance, who ironically pulled out after nine holes of his first round with a back injury, also saw his first reserve Ian Poulter card a 70 to be a shot further adrift alongside Kent’s Jamie Spence.

“I hit a few loose shots early on but I did all the things I could do to keep people at bay,” said Bjorn, who holed seven birdies and just one three-putt bogey at Nord-Eichenried.

“I feel comfortable again for the first time since the middle of last year, it’s been a while. It’s nice to be in the mix and feel comfortable about it again. It’s not something that happens that often.

“I feel my game is coming together and it’s nice at this stage of the year. It’s an important time and all the hard work I have done is starting to benefit me.

“It’s important for me to get where I feel I should belong in the Order of Merit and the world rankings. I don’t think I belong where I am (27th and 38th respectively), but I haven’t played well enough.

“And with the Ryder Cup in mind it’s nice to feel the game is coming along.”

Bjorn could be asked to partner Langer at the Belfry later this month and the Dane added: “For any player to play with Bernhard would be great.

“He is a very professional athlete and it’s good for anyone to go on a golf course with him because things are going to be kept at a very normal level.

“Things are never going to get away from him.”

Collated scores and totals in third round of the BMW International Open, Nord-Eichenried Golf Club, Munich

(Gbr & Irl unless stated)

(x) denotes amateurs

198 Thomas Bjorn (Den) 68 64 66

200 Bernhard Langer (Ger) 64 69 67, Richard Bland 65 66 69

201 Ian Poulter 65 66 70, Jamie Spence 67 64 70

202 John Bickerton 67 69 66, David Lynn 67 67 68

203 Trevor Immelman (Rsa) 66 72 65, Joakim Haeggman (Swe) 69 67 67, David Howell 70 65 68, Philip Golding 69 65 69

204 Anthony Wall 70 69 65, Paul McGinley 70 68 66, David Park 68 67 69

205 Santiago Luna (Spa) 71 69 65, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 71 69 65, John Daly (USA) 70 70 65, Simon Khan 68 71 66, Peter Senior (Aus) 70 68 67, Mathias Gronberg (Swe) 70 67 68, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 68 68 69, Rolf Muntz (Ned) 70 65 70

206 Thomas Levet (Fra) 69 71 66, Mikko Ilonen (Fin) 70 69 67, Andrew Coltart 70 68 68, Paul Casey 72 63 71

207 Mikael Lundberg (Swe) 70 69 68, Warren Bennett 72 66 69, Andrew Marshall 69 69 69, Nick Dougherty 70 67 70, Marten Olander (Swe) 69 67 71, Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) 69 65 73

208 Padraig Harrington 70 70 68, Richard Green (Aus) 71 69 68, Jean Hugo (Rsa) 71 68 69, Scott Gardiner (Aus) 71 68 69, Ian Garbutt 71 68 69, Simon Dyson 70 67 71, Barry Lane 68 69 71, Justin Rose 70 67 71, Steen Tinning (Den) 68 67 73

209 Mark Roe 71 69 69, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 69 70 70, Jorge Berendt (Arg) 69 70 70, Klas Eriksson (Swe) 67 72 70, Bradley Dredge 70 68 71, Robert Coles 65 73 71, Adam Mednick (Swe) 72 65 72, Gary Clark 70 67 72

210 (x) Christian Reimbold (Ger) 72 68 70, Robert Karlsson (Swe) 70 69 71, Marcel Siem (Ger) 72 67 71, Darren Fichardt (Rsa) 67 71 72, Alastair Forsyth 68 67 75, Emanuele Canonica (Ita) 67 67 76

211 Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 71 69 71, Sven Struver (Ger) 68 72 71, Greg Owen 69 69 73, Gary Orr 70 68 73, David Geall 70 68 73, Henrik Bjornstad (Nor) 69 66 76

212 Gary Evans 68 72 72, Russell Claydon 67 72 73

213 Robert-Jan Derksen (Ned) 73 67 73, Tino Schuster (Ger) 73 67 73, Markus Brier (Aut) 69 70 74

214 David Gilford 70 70 74, Gary Emerson 69 71 74, Daren Lee 68 68 78

218 Gordon Brand Jnr 68 72 78

Rtd: Alex Cejka (Ger)