Lawrie and McGinley shrug off rain

Lawrie shelters from another Scottish downpour

The lowest round of his career put Paul Lawrie in with an excellent shout of winning his first title since the 1999 Open.

Lawrie, 10 miles from the scene of his Carnoustie triumph, shares the lead with Ireland's Paul McGinley at the Dunhill Links Championship.

After four stop-start days, the pair still have the whole of their final round to play over the Old Course at St Andrews before the £3.5m tournament is decided.

The way McGinley battled through gales for a bogey-free 71 in his third round at Carnoustie was almost as impressive as Lawrie's 63.

It was nice to hole some putts for a change

Paul Lawrie

The pair are a stroke ahead of world number four Ernie Els, who with his father Neels also lies third in the pro-am event, and two in front of Swindon's David Howell.

Lawrie, suddenly finding a putting touch which had deserted him all year, had birdied eight of the first 12 holes when play was called off on Sunday.

"It was nice to hole some putts for a change," he said.

"All year I've played fantastic tee-to-green, but yesterday was the first time I started rolling them in.

"Bad weather doesn't bother me. I was brought up with the wind and the rain and it doesn't put me off. I just get the job done."