America’s Dustin Johnson will have to hold off a chasing pack containing the European Tour’s finest players if he is to win the rich WGC-HSBC Champions after a birdie barrage on Saturday in Shanghai.
Johnson, despite two double bogeys on the back nine, shot a six-under par 66 to finish the third round on 18-under par for the tournament at Sheshan Golf Club.
Johnson’s five-shot overnight lead was whittled down to three by Ryder Cup star and defending champion Ian Poulter, who shot a stunning 63.
England’s Poulter would have equalled the old course record, but Germany’s Martin Kaymer had already lowered that mark to 62 earlier in the day to get to 10-under par.
Four behind Johnson is former US Open champion Graeme McDowell (64), while two further back are former world No.1’s Rory McIlroy (67), US Open champion Justin Rose (65) and Canada’s Graham DeLaet (65).
“Doubling the last hole hurt a little bit,” said Johnson, who took a seven at the par-five 18th after dumping his drive into water.
“But I played really good today. If you had told me this morning that I would shoot six-under I would have taken it.”
Poulter said he would be aiming to go low again on Sunday in pursuit of the mammoth winner’s cheque of $US1.4 million ($A1.48 million) and hoped he could put some pressure on Johnson.
Poulter shot two 65s on the weekend to win this title a year ago at Mission Hills, Shenzhen. On Saturday he fired eight birdies, an eagle and a solitary bogey at 17.
“I’ve shot some low scores in Asia,” added Poulter, who in 2010 carded a 60 at the Hong Kong Open.
Northern Ireland’s McDowell will complete the last group out on Sunday alongside Johnson and Poulter.
He lies second in the Race to Dubai European Tour standings with just two events left after this week and knows the importance of a good finish on Sunday to close the gap on leader Henrik Stenson.
Kaymer, the former US PGA champion, began with an astonishing six birdies in his first seven holes to reach the turn in 30.
He carded four more birdies on the back nine, but agonisingly missed a short putt at the ninth, his final hole, that would have equalled the lowest round of his career, a 61 at the Portugal Masters in 2007.
He beat the record 63 at Sheshan Golf Club that he had jointly held until Saturday with Johnson, McIlroy, Daisuke Maruyama and Ernie Els.
