Bjorn storms up leaderboard

A “bit of a funny” eagle today helped vault Thomas Bjorn into contention for a 14th European Tour title in the Lyoness Open in Austria.

Bjorn began the third round eight shots off the lead and dropped further back with a bogey on the second hole at Diamond Country Club, but birdied three of the next four holes to be out in 34.

And the 42-year-old Dane then holed his second shot to the 12th for an eagle two and added four birdies to storm home in just 30 shots.

“It was a bit of a funny one,” Bjorn said after completing a 64 to set the clubhouse target on 11 under par. “I hit my drive on the 12th and the ball flew a bit funny.

“I said to my caddie going up the hole ’Better change that ball on the next, it flew a bit funny,’ so when the second shot went in he said ’Flying funny is it?’

“I was plodding along, playing all right, and then all of a sudden everything clicked into place and I couldn’t stop making birdies on the last few holes.

“Patience has been the thing this week, I didn’t get much out of the first two days and I stuck with it and tried to grind some scores out and today just let loose.”

Bjorn, who was fourth in Sweden last week, added: “I’ ve had some decent weeks now and I came down here with one thing on my mind, which was to win the golf tournament. The first two days was a bit disappointing but I’ve put myself in with a chance tomorrow.

“I’ll be a few behind when we come to the end of the day, you can take advantage of the back nine, but at least I have a chance and that’s the most important thing.”

Spain’s Eduardo De La Riva was alongside Bjorn on 11 under after one bogey and two birdies in his first eight holes, alongside overnight leader Joost Luiten and England’s Paul Waring.

Luiten thinned a chip across the green on the first to bogey and then three-putted the fifth, but birdied the sixth and ninth, while Waring had bogeyed the same holes but picked up shots on the fourth, eighth and ninth.