General / Editor / 21 April 2007 / Leave a Comment

Scotland's Simon Yates tied the course record with a third-round 64 to climb up to third place at the Asian open in Shanghai.

The 37-year-old started the day eight shots behind overnight leader Raphael Jacquelin but began with three birdies in his first three holes, before firing another six to close the gap on the Frenchman.

A bogey at the last ruined an otherwise flawless round and prevented him from breaking Thailand's Somkiat Srisanga's record from 2004.

Yates revealed challenging for the title was far from his mind at the start of the day but is feeling optimistic ahead of the final round.

"I was just trying to make the cut," he said. "That's what you always do and then work from there.

"I was two over after the first day and if it was windy yesterday, there would have been a problem.

"But three under after three, you feel pretty good. I just sparked. I hit a lot of greens and putted really well. I hit one club too many at the last and chipped it past the flag, but otherwise it was a nice round of golf."

Jacquelin (3.6 favourite to win the tournament) remains at the top at 11-under par following his round of 70, one shot clear of Australian Scott Hend (7).

Yates (22) lies a further shot off the pace alongside Sweden's Joakim Backstrom (20) and Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen (12), while Colin Montgomerie (9.2) is tied for sixth place at eight-under, with Austria's Markus Brier (14.5) and Dane Soren Hansen (22).