Wind worries leaders at Wentworth

A swirling wind led to bogeys galore when the leaders set off in the third round of the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth today.

Justin Rose, two ahead at halfway, immediately paid a price for driving into the right-hand rough off the first tee and by the time he reached the long fourth he had already been caught by Swede Joakim Haeggman.

Welshman Phillip Price, partnering Rose, dropped shots at the opening two holes, while world number three Ernie Els, the favourite for the massive first prize of nearly £420,000 (€629,248), missed the green at the short second and then also bogeyed the third.

For the third day running he failed to birdie the par-five fourth, but at least Darren Clarke did that to make amends for his bogey on the previous hole and that left the Ulsterman joint fourth with German Marcel Siem.

A total of 16 players were now separated by a mere three strokes, while four-time winner Nick Faldo was only one stroke further back after reaching the turn in a one-under 34 and three-time winner Colin Montgomerie stood four under, six back, when he eagled the 509-yard 12th.

Earlier bogeys at the third and ninth, however, meant Montgomerie was still a long way off his target of the top-five finish which could earn him a place in next month’s US Open – and certainly the victory which he needed to avoid the qualifying tournament for July’s Open at his home club Royal Troon.

Another to suffer early problems was Cardiff’s Stephen Dodd, who late last night was only one behind Rose, but then bogeyed the two closing par fives. He resumed with further bogeys at the first and third.

Faldo matched Montgomerie's eagle at the 12th and with that leapt into joint fifth place.

A week ago he suffered a third-successive missed cut for the first time in his long career – wearing glasses for the first time too – but on the course where he has had so many great moments and wearing contact lenses he was suddenly reviving his hopes for a record 12th Ryder Cup cap.

Rose, meanwhile, made a 15-foot birdie putt on the 354-yard sixth to go ahead on his own again.