Scot Yates makes Shanghai surge

Yates jumped from 23rd to third

THIRD ROUND LEADERBOARD
(GB&Ire unless stated)
-11 R Jacquelin (Fra)
-10 S Hend (Aus)
-9 S Yates (Scot), S Kjeldsen (Den), J Backstrom (Swe)
-8 C Montgomerie (Sco), M Brier (Aut), S Hansen (Den)
Selected others:
-6 E Els (SA), S Dyson (Eng)
-4 G McDowell (NIre)

Scotland's Simon Yates fired an eight-under-par 64 to surge into a tie for third after three rounds of the Asian Open in Shanghai.

Yates marched to nine under, two off the lead of frontman Raphael Jacquelin (70), while Australian Scott Hend was in second on 10 under after a 67.

Colin Montgomerie was tied sixth on eight under after a 69.

"I was just trying to make the cut. That's what you always do and then work from there," said Yates.

"I was two over after the first day and if it was windy yesterday, there would have been a problem.

Your putter has to be hot but I have a really good shot at it Ernie Els

"But three under after three, you feel pretty good. I just sparked.

"I hit a lot of greens and putted really well. I hit one club too many at the last and chipped it past the flag, but otherwise it was a nice round of golf."

World number five Ernie Els was back in a tie for 11th on six under after a 68 alongside England's Simon Dyson (70).

"If it rains, the greens will be softer and you can be really aggressive with your second shots but the par fives will be unreachable in two. So your putter has to be hot but I have a really good shot at it," said Els.

Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell was five under and Retief Goosen two under.

The 37-year-old Yates, who plays on the Asian Tour from his base in Thailand, blitzed the front nine with six birdies before adding a couple more on the way home to equal the course record set by Thailand's Somkiat Srisanga in 2004.

Yates, a former downhill skier who has taken up motor racing in the last couple of years, looked on course for a record round before dropping a shot at the last.

"Just a shame about the last, one putt too many," Yates added.

South Africa's Els recorded a 62 at the course on his way to a 13-stroke victory in 2005, but he was kept out of the record books because preferred lies were played.