Romero resumes leading role

Romero, who finished double bogey, bogey at Carnoustie to miss the play-off by a single shot, carded a brilliant third round of 63 for a 17-under-par total of 199 and a two-stroke advantage.

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That equalled the course record set by Lee Westwood last year, although it will not count for record purposes due to the preferred lies in operation on the sodden course.

Zane Scotland is Romero's nearest challenger on 15 under after a 66, with fellow Englishman Lee Slattery another shot back after a 67.

"I try to birdie every single hole," said Romero, who managed five birdies and two eagles in a flawless display of attacking golf.

"I feel very confident on the course, I'm happy and playing well.

"I finished very well here last year as well (he was fourth) and I'm going out as a leader now so it's good.

"I got a lot of confidence last week and I hope to keep that going. On Sunday I was thinking whether to go back to Argentina or come here and I decided to come because it's a very good course and I enjoyed it last year.

"I really hope it was worth it."

Scotland looked set to run away from the field after a sensational start to his round - the Surrey professional playing the first five holes in six under par with four birdies and an eagle, where he "chipped" in from the edge of the third green with a three wood.

Consecutive bogeys halted his charge and put paid to any hopes of the first 59 on the European Tour, but two more birdies and another eagle - this time courtesy of a more orthodox 35-yard pitch - on the 15th ensured he would be in the final group with Romero on Sunday.

Coincidentally, Scotland shot to fame when he qualified for the Open at Carnoustie as a 16-year-old, but his professional career was almost ruined after a car crash in 2003 in which he suffered a serious neck injury.

It was not until last year that he was able to play and practice fully after treatment at Pure Sports Medicine in London, where doctors had seen a TV interview he had given and felt they could help.

The 25-year-old qualified for the French Open earlier this month and finished 12th, boosting his career earnings from less than £6,000 to more than £50,000 and improving his world ranking from 764 to 437.

First prize tomorrow is £400,000 and also carries a valuable two-year European Tour exemption.

"It would be massive for me," admitted Scotland, who failed to qualify for the Open this time around but made up for it with second place on the Challenge Tour event in Austria last week.

"I've always dreamt about having the chance to play in the last group on the European Tour.

"I can't avoid thinking about what it all means but hopefully this will not be the only chance I'm going to get - hopefully this is the first of many."

It was hard not to feel some sympathy for Slattery, who birdied the first three holes and carded a flawless 67 only to find himself three shots off the lead.

"It took the pressure off in a little way because all eyes were on Zane," said the 28-year-old from Southport, 170th on the Order of Merit.

"It relaxed me a little bit and I felt very comfortable out there.

"I've been holing a few putts this week and after going back to my old coach I'm swinging it better.

"That alone gives you confidence and it almost feels like it did when I won the Challenge Tour in 2004.

"There are a lot of similarities between then and now and hopefully I will keep playing like I am.

"I would have taken being three behind going into the final round and hopefully I can do some damage from there."

Earlier in the day Rory Sabbatini continued his remarkable recovery from 155th out of 156 after the first round.

Sabbatini looked certain to miss the halfway cut after an opening 78, but made the weekend with nothing to spare on one under par after a second-round 65.

That meant an early start this morning, the South African in the third match out at 7.02am local time alongside compatriot Retief Goosen, and both players - joint second in the US Masters in April - produced some superb golf.

World number 16 Sabbatini actually started with a bogey five but birdied the next two and picked up further shots at the seventh and ninth to be out in 33.

Another birdie on the 13th was cancelled out by a bogey on the next, but the Texas-based 31-year-old responded with a hat-trick of birdies from the 15th to card a 66 for a seven-under-par total of 209.

Asked about the difference between his first round and the second and third, Sabbatini joked: "A good eraser on the pencil, it's a good way to shave numbers!

"I struggled the first day, wasn't swinging well and didn't make any putts.

"I came out yesterday and did some work on the range with the video camera and got the swing back on track and it has turned things around."