Donald one shot ahead entering final round

Luke Donald will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the BMW International Open in Munich.

Donald carded a third-round 67 for a 17 under par total of 199 at Nord-Eichenried, edging ahead of Ryder Cup team-mate David Howell with a birdie on the 18th.

Fellow Englishman Simon Khan is a stroke further back in third alongside Australian Brett Rumford and Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen, with John Daly in contention to repeat his victory here in 2001 on 14 under.

Donald was joint leader overnight – a position he occupied with Tiger Woods after 36 holes of the NEC Invitational last week – but got off to a slow start with a bogey on the first followed by seven straight pars.

“I struggled on the greens today,” the 27-year-old from High Wycombe admitted. “I couldn’t get the lines and, being last out, I think a few of putts maybe hit some footprints.

“It wasn’t the started I wanted but I stayed patient and kept telling myself you just need one break to get it going and that’s what happened on the ninth.”

By now four shots off the lead, Donald missed the green on the 557-yard par five but chipped in for an eagle three, and followed up with three birdies in the next four holes.

“I was in two minds about whether to go for the green because I had 240 yards to carry the water,” added Donald, who discovered after this tournament last year that he had earned one of the two Ryder Cup wild cards for Oakland Hills.

“Just as I was about to lay up the wind died so I changed my mind and went for it and holed a nice chip across the green. That was a nice kick-start and the birdie on the 10th kept the momentum going.”

Donald won twice in Europe last season – he will defend his European Masters title in Switzerland next week – but has yet to taste victory in 2005, finishing second in the prestigious Players Championship at Sawgrass.

“One of my goals this year was to win and it’s disappointing not to have done it by now,” added the Chicago-based former Walker Cup star.

“But it will go down as a great win if I can pull it off tomorrow against a pretty strong field.”

Howell qualified for, and played a key role, in last year’s Ryder Cup despite failing to win a tournament since the 1999 Dubai Desert Classic, and is all too aware of that unflattering statistic.

The 30-year-old from Swindon lost back-to-back play-offs in the British Masters and Irish Open earlier this year – and finished fourth in the PGA Championship at Wentworth – before an abdominal injury suffered at the US Open ruled him out for two months.

“It’s been a long time since I won and I’m at the stage of my career where a third or fourth place is all very nice but it’s all about winning tournaments,” admitted Howell, who missed a 4ft birdie putt on the 18th to tie Donald.

“If I come away from tomorrow with anything other than a win it will be very disappointing, although it could be out of my hands if someone shoots a really low score.

“I’ve improved a lot since my win so it’s strange the wins have not come. A lot of times I have been in there with the opportunity but maybe not feeling as comfortable with my swing as possible.

“A play-off can be a bit of a lottery but I was quite distressed with the British Masters, the way I played the 18th hole in the final round and the two holes in the play-off (the par three 18th again).”

With qualifying starting next week, the Ryder Cup has been firmly on the agenda for the European contingent in Munich, but Daly is also targeting an appearance at the K Club outside Dublin next year.

The 39-year-old has been unfortunate to miss out on a place in the United States team despite winning two major championships, but said: “I spoke to (captain) Tom Lehman last week and he said he would love to have me on the team.

“I kind of sense I will have to earn it, I’ve given up on being picked. I’m the only guy who has won one major, much less two, who has never played the Ryder Cup.

“It would be nice if Tom picked me but hopefully I won’t have to worry about it. I love Ireland – with a name like John Patrick Daly I have a lot of ancestors – and I’m opening a new course called ’The Blarney’ just outside Cork next year after the Open.”

Angel Cabrera would have been just one shot off the lead but for being handed an unusual two-shot penalty during his third round.

Cabrera’s caddy walked through a bunker as he paced off the distance of the Argentinian’s second shot to the 13th, and then raked the sand on his way back.

Although this was of no benefit to Cabrera, it was technically a breach of rule 13, “improving the line of play.”

Tournament director Mike Stewart said: “It is harsh but Angel took it very well, he didn’t question it and accepted the two-shot penalty.”