Peter Lawrie dropped shots on the fourteenth and fifteenth on Friday and repeated the same again on Saturday at the BMW PGA Championship to lose touch with his playing partner, Luke Donald, who waltzed through Wentworth in 69 strokes - to take the outright lead.
Lawrie was left trailing Donald by four in the end and no doubt a disappointment for the Dubliner given it had been nip and tuck for most of early part of the round. It also let Justin Rose into second spot - on 9 under - which now will see Lawrie paired the second last match with local resident, Ernie Els.
Ten places behind though is David Higgins who will also be reflecting on his round of 74, which could prove even more costly on Sunday if he is unable to garner two birdies and seize a top ten finish on the West Course. That kind of result would guarantee a place at Celtic Manor next week for the Wales Open, a very good pay cheque and the start perhaps of a career revival – and an escape from the Irish PGA region to pastures new.
Double bogeys though on the seventh and twelfth were where the major damage was done for the Waterville native.
Gareth Maybin ended Saturday with problems of similar kind having dropped eight shots on the day, with four birdies dotted through his card to limit overall score to 74 – and remain level; overall.
Paul McGinley ended round 3 one over par in a three days where he has failed so far to match the sparkling 65 he carded in Korea at the Ballantine's last month. But there is always Sunday for such good news.
Damien McGrane has got little out if Wentworth this weekend with a 75 on Saturday securing a 3 over in total, courtesy of four consecutive bogeys just before the turn. With only one top ten finish so far this season, a second place at the Trophee Hassan, McGrane has yet to find the consistency that characterise his past two European Tour seasons.
For Shane Lowry though the sense of the struggle was palpable carding a 79 on Saturday - after making the turn in 41 strokes he then added a double bogeyed on the tenth.
But all eyes are on Luke Donald who is on course to retain his BMW PGA Championship title - and return to World Number One - after defying testing conditions with a third round of 69 in front of record Saturday crowds
More than 25,000 spectators flocked through the gates at Wentworth Club to witness the English Ryder Cup star showed his class with a joint-best round of the day in strong winds.
Needing only a top eight finish to take the World Number One spot back off Rory McIlroy, who opened the door by missing a second successive cut, the 34 year old is now 11 under par and two ahead of Justin Rose.
Donald is trying to follow Sir Nick Faldo and Colin Montgomerie as the only players to make a successful defence of The European Tour's flagship event. Faldo did it in 1980 and 1981, while Montgomerie had three wins in a row from 1998 to 2000.
Overnight leader James Morrison endured a difficult day, however. Four clear after a sparkling second round 64, the World Number 236 signed for an 81 and will go into the closing 18 holes eight strokes off the lead.
In contrast, Donald plotted his way around like the expert he now is, gathering birdies at the first two par fives and then going two clear at the 13th after Lawrie hit into the trees and bogeyed.
Joint fourth are former Open Champion Paul Lawrie and South African trio Branden Grace, Richard Sterne and Ernie Els.
Donald said: "The tougher the better for me. The good players that can be patient and deal with it are always going to rise to the top usually.
"That was by far my best round of the three. The wind was swirling and I hit a lot of solid shots.
"There were a couple of loose ones coming down the stretch, but I'm very pleased with that finish - it was hugely important for me.
"Physically and mentally it was tough and it's going to be a grind tomorrow."
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