Tunnicliff still in pole position

England’s Miles Tunnicliff maintained his grip on the Diageo Championship at Gleneagles with a confidence-boosting start to his third round today.

Already five clear at halfway, the 35-year-old, ranked 261st in the world, two-putted the long second for a birdie that took him to 10 under par.

Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell and Australian left-hander Nick O’Hern were his closest challengers overnight, but they both resumed with a bogey – McDowell after a horrid hook into gorse that forced him to take a penalty drop.

Into second place instead came Swede Henrik Stenson, hardly heard of since he won the Benson and Hedges International Open at The Belfry three years ago.

Stenson, 104th on this season’s Order of Merit, had three birdies and a bogey in the first four holes.

Moves came from two Danes as well – defending champion Soren Kjeldsen and former Volvo PGA champion Anders Hansen both improving to four under and joint third place.

Hansen was only two over par at the start, but turned in 34 and then birdied the 11th, eagled the 12th and picked up another stroke on the 15th. Kjeldsen was out in 33 and birdied the short 10th.

Colin Montgomerie, level par at halfway, kept his interest in the title chase, grabbing birdies at the fourth and seventh in an outward 34 that lifted him to two under.