Scott and Lafeber lead in Scandinavia

Australia’s Adam Scott and Maarten Lafeber of Holland share the lead going into the final round of the Scandic Carlsberg Scandinavian Masters.

Scott carded a third-round 67 for an eight-under-par total of 208 which was later matched courtesy of a last-hole birdie from Lafeber in his 69.

The duo enjoy a two-shot advantage over a four-strong group containing Walker Cup team-mates Luke Donald and Nick Dougherty, midlander Steve Webster and Swede Carl Pettersson.

Overnight leader Dougherty struggled to a 74 as he saw his three-shot lead evaporate, while American-based Pettersson set a new course record with his 66.

Scott had missed the cut in his last three events since finishing eighth in the defence of his Scottish PGA Championship, but his flawless 67 contained five birdies and means he is yet to have a single three-putt this week after months of problems on the greens.

“The last couple of months I’ve not felt like I could win,” admitted Scott, who is coached by Butch Harmon and shares a similar swing with world number one Tiger Woods.

“I’ve been going to tournaments hoping to get it round but the last three days have shown me that if I play like I did today on Sunday, it will take a great round to beat me.

“I said to myself the goal was not to make any bogeys because I knew I was making five birdies a round and that was exactly what I did so I was pretty happy with that.

“Twenty six putts today is definitely more like it although it’s still hard work. It’s taking a lot of concentration and is mentally tough for me at the moment. I have to keep my thoughts together and reiterate to myself what I’m doing.

“The last two months have been pretty poor, not so much with the longer ones [putts] but from six feet and in. If you miss enough of those you think you’re never going to make one.

“I’ve been working harder on it than I’ve ever done. I’ve been working so hard on my long game that putting just dragged along behind it and you can’t afford to have spells like this as it takes you out of tournaments.”

Scott currently lies 20th on the Order of Merit, thanks mainly to his third place in the World Matchplay in California earlier this year, where he narrowly lost to eventual winner Tiger Woods in the semi-finals.

But his recent poor form has seen him slip out of the automatic qualifying places for the Presidents’ Cup – the Ryder Cup-style contest between America and the Rest of the World minus Europe, which takes place in South Africa in November.

“I’m desperate to get into the Presidents’ Cup team,” added Scott, who has slipped to 15th in the standings with the top 10 to qualify.

“The cut-off is in two weeks after the USPGA and I’ve been in the top 10 for seven months until recently.”

Lafeber is yet another pupil of mental coach Jos Vanstiphout, the diminutive Belgian who counts Ernie Els and Retief Goosen among his many clients, and praised his role in calming him down on the course.

“I’ve been working with Jos again since Loch Lomond in July and that has turned a lot of things around,” said the 28-year-old from Eindhoven.

“He’s made me stay more patient and accept mistakes. I’m much more positive and enjoying the game. I don’t feel I’m playing any better than a few months ago but I was trying way too hard and taking everything too seriously.

“I just have to play. If a win doesn’t happen tomorrow then maybe next week, if not next week then next year. If I don’t play well it doesn’t make me a bad person.”

Sunday’s final-round pairings will see Dougherty and Donald renew their Walker Cup partnership which helped Great Britain and Ireland successfully defend the trophy for the first time in 2001, and only the second victory on American soil.

They each won three points out of a possible four although their surprise defeat in the opening day foursomes meant Donald had to settle for seven points out of eight from his two appearances.

Dougherty looked like running away from the field when he began the day with a three-shot cushion and promptly birdied the first, but he then bogeyed the next three holes and dropped another shot on the seventh when his approach went through the green and ended up on a spectator’s coat.

Birdies on the eighth and ninth – where he chipped in – took him out in 37 and seven pars followed before another dropped shot on the 17th left him two off the lead.

“It was a struggle that’s for sure, I didn’t play at all well today,” said the 21-year-old, diagnosed with glandular fever in May and still battling the effects of the energy-sapping illness.

“It was pretty ugly but I hung in there and I’m in a really good position to win this golf tournament still. I could have really blown it away but I recovered what could have been a disastrous day.

“If I can play the golf I did the first two days I will have a great chance. It’s going to be great fun playing with Luke, the last time we played together competitively was in the Walker Cup although we did play nine holes in practice in Ireland last week.”

Donald was also still in confident mood after his round of 71 which again saw him fail to convert some excellent approach play into birdies on the testing greens which were recently relaid.

“It’s pretty tightly packed and I’m still right there,” said the 25-year-old from High Wycombe, who graduated in art from Northwestern University in Chicago in 2001.

“I’m hitting the ball great, hopefully I can get a few more putts to drop and if I can shoot four or five under I think I’ll have a good chance.”