Els in contention for four-timer

Ernie Els kept his hopes of a record-equalling fourth straight Heineken Classic alive today as Colin Montgomerie crashed out of contention.

Els carded a third-round 66 for an 11 under total of 202 at Royal Melbourne, three shots behind playing partner Nick O’Hern.

The Australian left-hander carded a flawless 63, the lowest round of the week, to finish 14 under, one ahead of compatriots Jarrod Lyle and Craig Parry.

But on a day of low scoring Montgomerie was the exception to the rule, dropping shots at four of his last six holes to slump to a 72 and finish eight under, six off the pace.

Els was seven shots adrift after an opening 72 but closed the gap to three shots at the halfway stage after what he described as a “grinding 64” yesterday.

It took the world number three just two holes to wipe out that deficit in the third round this afternoon as the players took advantage of a course rendered near-defenceless by Wednesday’s torrential rain.

A birdie on the first was followed by an eagle on the second, with three more birdies and a bogey taking the South African to the turn in 31.

After missing from just 2ft to bogey the 13th, Els hit straight back with a brace of birdies only to drop a shot on the 17th.

“I really hit some spectacular shots and then made some very silly errors,” admitted Els, who carded a 12-under-par 60 in the first round last year.

“I feel like I am playing well and my game is not far off but it’s frustrating when I get myself in position and make a couple of mistakes.

“The course is there for the taking. The greens are still soft but are rolling beautifully. It’s there for us to attack it and it’s not over yet.”

Montgomerie had seemingly dragged himself back into contention following a slow start today, the Scot opening with seven straight pars as the rest of the field covered the leaderboard in red numbers.

Three birdies in five holes from the eighth took the 41-year-old to 12 under par but four late bogeys, including three-putting the 18th, appear to have ended the former European number one’s chances.

Leader O’Hern finished 12th on the European Tour Order of Merit last year despite not winning a tournament, the 33-year-old from Perth recording 11 top-10 finishes.

“I last won in Australia back in 1999 so it’s been a long time,” admitted O’Hern, who finished second in the German Masters and French Open in 2004.

“If I keep putting myself in position I’m going to knock through that wall and once I win one I should be able to win a few more.”

Lyle only turned professional in October last year but is confident of not being overawed by battling with some of the top players in the world in the final round.

The 23-year-old spent nine months in hospital in 1999 after being diagnosed with leukaemia, just a month after his mother Sally-Anne was diagnosed with MS, and it was another year before he could resume his promising golf career.

After matching the outward nines of O’Hern and Els with an eagle and three birdies, Lyle led by two shots when he also birdied the 12th before his only bogey of the day on the 14th.