Peter Hanson of Sweden shot a two-under 70 on Saturday and leads world No 1 Rory McIlroy by a single shot going into the final round of the BMW Masters at the Shanghai Malaren Golf Club.

Hanson, leading the Northern Irishman by two shots after Friday, finished the third round at 16 under par, but his Ryder Cup teammate McIlroy shot a three-under 69 and is poised to strike as he chases a fifth victory of the season.

The Swede started the day two clear, but was caught within eight holes after a birdie at the second was followed by bogeys at the fourth, fifth and eighth.

A birdie at the ninth gave Hanson the advantage once more and, although he was briefly joined by Belgium's Nicolas Colsaerts on the back nine, McIlroy was unable to draw level again.

The 35-year-old Hanson was clear again when he reached the 13th green in two and two-putted; and holed from 10 feet to match McIlroy's birdie at the 15th.

However, the US PGA champion struck from 15 feet at the 16th and would have ended the day level with Hanson on 16 under but for a lip-out at the 17th.

Hanson, who added a two-under 70 to rounds of 66 and 64, said, "The wind was blowing from the opposite direction today which made it a little bit trickier, and some of the pins were tucked away.

"It's great to play with Rory. Every time you get the chance to play against the world No 1, it's a fantastic thing to do. Hopefully I can stay ahead of him but I think it's going to be a tough one tomorrow and I need to play a little bit better than I did today.

"Winning on the European Tour is always massive and this is the start of a big stretch for us. If I can get my form back to the first two rounds I think I've got a good chance."

South African George Coetzee defied the testing conditions at the Lake Malaren course to card a six-under 66 and move into third place at 13 under.

Then follows a two-stroke gap to a chasing pack of England's Luke Donald and Justin Rose, Irish pair Michael Hoey and Shane Lowry, last year's Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and Swede Alex Noren.

The highlight of Rose's round was driving the green at the dog-leg, 380-yard 11th and sinking a 30-foot putt for eagle. He came home in 32 for a 69, but is in danger of falling further behind McIlroy in The Race to Dubai.

(China Daily 10/28/2012 page7)