Ryder Cup player Niclas Fasth is on course for his second European Tour title and first on home soil after moving into a share of the lead with former US PGA Champion Jeff Sluman and former Walker Cup Player Graeme McDowell in the Volvo Scandinavian Masters at Kungsangen.
Fasth, who will make his Ryder Cup debut at The De Vere Belfry next month, shot a third round 65, six under par, to move to ten under par 203. His only victory to date was in the 2000 Madeira Island Open and since then he has come close to adding to that title finishing second on a number of occasions notably in last year’s Open Golf Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes. He will be attempting to become the third Swede to win the Volvo Scandinavian Masters following Joakim Haegman and Jesper Parnevik.
Graeme McDowell, playing only his fourth European Tour event, has a remarkable maiden victory within reach after a third round of 66 put him among the leading group. McDowell, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Tuesday, used a putter given to him by Darren Clarke to roll in four birdies and an eagle before a final hole bogey cost him the outright lead.
“Yesterday was pretty difficult for me, I was very protective because I was leading the tournament," said McDowell, a member of the Great Britain and Ireland team that retained the Walker Cup for the first time last year.
"Today I was much more relaxed and had fun out there. It helped being in the third last group and it will help not being in the last group as well on Sunday.
"If I think about trying to earn enough to win my card I will be in big trouble. I'm going to give it a rip and try and make some birdies and give the others something to think about.
"I won nine events at college in the States and only ever lost one, my last ever, when leading going into the final round."
Sluman is playing his first European Tour event outside the Open championship, and was only persuaded to play after flying over to attend the wedding of Jesper Parnevik's sister Jill to Per-Ulrik Johansson.
"Jesper's been trying to get me to come over for the last few years but the wedding clinched it," said Sluman, whose wife Linda is half-Swedish.
"A Swedish wedding is a little different from an American one but it's something I will always remember.
"I had my European Tour card in 1984 but unfortunately never used it because I got my US card as well, but we've had a great time in Stockholm. It's been a wonderful experience and I hope I can finish it off with a win."
Johansson himself had already enjoyed a successful day, carding a course record 63 to finish six under, four off the lead.
The 35-year-old former Ryder Cup player, who now plays mainly on the USPGA Tour, had been understandably slow out of the blocks at the start of the week, and was three over par after 16 holes on Friday but birdied the 17th to make the cut by a single shot.
"I'm a very happy man," Johansson said. "My slow start was more down to the fact that I am really tired and I haven't practised much so I wasn't really into the first two rounds.
"I got a good break on the ninth when my drive bounced away from the fairway bunker and I went on to make an eagle, and from then on I saw more and more crowds coming to watch which is nice to see when you only play in Sweden once a year. Today was great and whatever happens tomorrow I can always look back at shooting a course record in my home country, but now I will be trying to get into contention.”