Els leads charge of heavyweights

Ernie Els made his move in the Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond today - and he was not the only big gun to do so.

While last year’s Masters champion Phil Mickelson remained deep in the pack with a third-round 71, Els went to the turn in a five-under- par 31 and lifted himself into a tie for third place.

He had begun the day in a share of 20th spare.

Playing five groups ahead of him, meanwhile, Australian Adam Scott, at seventh in the world four places below Els, finished off a front-nine 32 with three successive birdies and when he added three more in the next four holes he had joined overnight leader Maarten Lafeber on 12 under.

The Dutchman, chasing only his second European tour win, had produced his best-ever round on the circuit with his second-round 63 – one off the course record – and had yet to resume.

Colin Montgomerie was not out of the hunt either. After missing a four-foot birdie putt on the first and a six-footer for par on the second a drive into sand down the third appeared to signal that things were not going the 42-year-old Scot’s way.

But he still managed to birdie the 518-yard third and picked up more shots on the fourth, fifth, eighth and 10th to stand nine under and in a tie for ninth.

Conditions were again perfect, but Mickelson was again unable to capitalise.

On Wednesday he had spoken of his desire to get momentum heading into next week’s Open at St Andrews, but the left-hander said: “I’m not really worried about it.

“I didn’t quite get it going, but guys have played well the week before a major and won and other guys have missed cuts and then won.”

Last year, for example, Mickelson did make an early exit at Loch Lomond, but then seven days later at Royal Troon was only a stroke away from joining Todd Hamilton and Els in their play-off.

It was easily the American’s best-ever showing in the Open and it has given him real confidence for the Old Course, where he worked on his strategy earlier in the week.

“It really helps to come over and get adjusted to the time difference – and to play in competition where shots count.”

His main concentration when he switches to Fife on Monday will be on chipping and putting.

“You can never do too much work on your short game there. The greens are just so difficult, tricky, challenging. If you get a good feeling for them you can save some shots.”

Els, like Montgomerie, did not make the best of starts, bogeying the first. But then came an eagle at the third and birdies at the fifth, sixth, seventh and ninth.

Playing partner Ian Poulter matched that eagle and his outward 32 lifted him to 10 under, while Darren Clarke, joint third at halfway, birdied the first to join Els and Argentina’s Angel Cabrera on 11 under.