Golf:With Irish golf riding the crest of a wave, Simon Thornton moved a step closer to becoming the latest success story as he moved within striking distance of Bradley Dredge at the BMW International Open in Munich.
The 33-year-old qualifying school graduate, ranked a lowly 629th in the world, carded a third successive 67 to move to 15-under, three behind the Welshman with one round remaining.
Dredge had stretched his halfway advantage from one to four shots by going to the turn in 33 — helped by a 50-foot chip-in on the first — but had that suddenly cut to one when England’s Ross Fisher started for home birdie-eagle.
But Dredge, whose last European Tour victory was nearly four years ago, responded with birdies on the 11th and 13th and parred in from there.
Fisher, gunning for a win that could lift him to seventh in the Ryder Cup table, shot 66 for the second day running. Scotland’s former Open champion Paul Lawrie is one shot further back in fourth following a 68.