Tunnicliff makes flying start

England’s Miles Tunnicliff improved from 40th to fourth with a lightning fast start to his third round in the Portuguese Open at Oitavos Dunes today.

Three months away from his 40th birthday, the two-time European Tour winner followed three birdies in his first six holes with an eagle at the 501-yard seventh and then another birdie on the next.

Tunnicliff, based in Malaga, went from four under par to 10 under and moved alongside compatriot Simon Khan, but was still four off the lead held by Frenchman Gregory Bourdy.

He was two in front of Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, with former Ryder Cup player Thomas Levet third on his own overnight at 11 under.

Levet’s 2004 cup team-mates Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley and David Howell were all trying to get back in touch with the pace, but faced a tough task.

Clarke slipped back to three under by turning in a disappointing 37, but did at least grab his first birdie of the day on the 444-yard 10th, while McGinley mixed two birdies with a bogey and then a double bogey in his first five holes to stand five under.

Howell was going best of the trio and resumed on seven under par.