McGinley makes poor start

Paul McGinley gave hope to all the chasing pack with a double-bogey start to his third round in the BMW PGA Championship at a windy Wentworth.

Four clear of the field after a record-breaking 13-under-par performance on the first two days, the 41-year-old Dubliner pushed his drive on the first into a bunker and came up short of the green in two.

He then chipped off the back, elected to use his putter, but sent it six feet past and missed the return.

The damage was limited, however, as playing partner Robert Karlsson three-putted for bogey and, just ahead of them, Miles Tunnicliff took four at the 154-yard second after failing to find the green.

All that left McGinley 11 under and Karlsson and Tunnicliff eight under with big-hitting Argentinian Daniel Vancsik, Australian Marcus Fraser and Dane Soren Kjeldsen.

A victory for McGinley could sweep him all the way from 38th to top of the Order of Merit and from world number 157 into the top 50, all just in time to earn him places in next month’s US Open and July’s Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

First prize this year is almost £600,000 and even the player finishing seventh picks up more than £100,000.

Paul Casey still had hopes of that after birdies at the fourth and fifth lifted him to seven under and joint seventh with fellow Englishman Oliver Wilson, who bogeyed the third.

Earlier memories of 12 months ago – not very nice ones – must have come flooding back into the head of Ross Fisher at his home club.

Fisher was joint leader with Paul Broadhurst with a round to go last year, but then crashed to 39th place with an 84.

This morning he dropped nine shots in the first 11 holes of his third round and did well after that to get round in 80. He was trailed off last at nine over, however.