Lynn leads the charge

Stoke’s David Lynn started with five birdies in six holes to close the gap on KLM Open leader Richard Green to two shots.

Lynn began the day at seven under, five behind, but a birdie three at the second was followed by another at the third after holing an eight-foot putt.

A dropped shot on the fourth mattered little as he again produced back-to-back birdies to move to 10 under.

Andrew Raitt, another Englishman, also started well with a birdie on the fourth to go level with Lynn.

However, compatriot Ian Poulter was having a scrappy day, scoring fours on each of the first seven holes – unfortunately the fifth is a par three and he paid for leaving a 25ft downhill putt 10ft short.

That left him five under, two behind playing partner Paul McGinley who had birdies at the third and fifth before encountering trouble at the seventh where he left himself a 30ft putt for par and missed.

Overnight leader Green remained 12 under after five holes.

Wimbourne’s Gary Emerson (three under), Spain’s Carlos Rodiles (four under) and Australia’s Paul Marantz (four under) all shot the day’s lowest round so far of 65.