London – England’s Matthew Southgate and Frenchman Victor Perez share a two-shot lead on 20-under par heading into the final round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Both men were in stunning form on Saturday as Southgate shot 65 at the Old Course in St Andrews, while Perez went one better with an eight-under round at Kingsbarns.
Englishman Paul Waring is third on 18-under, a shot clear of American Tony Finau and Swede Joakim Lagergren.
After playing 18 holes at each of St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns over the first three days of the pro-am event, the players who have made the cut will contest the final round back at St Andrews on Sunday.
Southgate has been a picture of consistency so far, following an opening 65 at Carnoustie with a 66 at Kingsbarns before carding another 65 over the layout where he won the 2010 St Andrews Links Trophy as an amateur.
“We’ve played 54 holes and 51 of them haven’t looked like dropping a shot, really,” he told europeantour.com.
“It’s been pretty special stuff tee to green and sticking to the game plan and ticking a lot of boxes.
“I’m so passionate about winning tournaments and being here at the home of golf tomorrow is going to be a difficult one to just keep myself in check and keep producing what I have done the first three days.”
English pair Luke Donald and Jordan Smith are at 16-under alongside Italy’s Andrea Pavea.
Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy all shot two-under on Saturday but have to come from a long way back to challenge for victory.
Rose is closest to the leaders on 14-under, Fleetwood is three shots further back on 11-under with McIlroy on 10-under.
