Golf: Faldo steps up a gear

NICK FALDO stepped up a gear and regained some of his usual form in the third round of the Lancome Trophy at St Nom-la-Breteche, near Paris yesterday. He returned a five-under-par 65 to move up from joint 53rd to only eight shots off the pace.

After a slow start, Faldo shot six birdies in 10 holes from the eighth. 'I tried to be more aggressive today and three birdies in a row got me going,' the Open champion said.

Acknowledging that he is probably too far behind to achieve his fourth successive victory in Europe, Faldo has not given up. 'It is possible to shoot a 62 here,' he said, 'so I shall have to try for that.'

Australia's Peter Senior led on nine under par with 201, on stroke clear of Mark Roe, Jim Payne, Spain's Jose-Maria Olazabal and Eduardo Romero, of Argentina.

Roe, a Yorkshireman who has three times been in contention on the final day this year without winning, said after his 66: 'I'm feeling unlucky not to be six or seven shots ahead. I played that well.'

Payne, who shot 65, had six birdies and only one bogey in his round, but it was Senior who had the most consistent round of 66 with four birdies and no bogeys.

Ian Woosnam, who began the day 10 shots ahead of Faldo, finished one behind the world No 1 after a six-over-par 76 despite having an eagle three at the 16th. He had six bogeys and a double-bogey seven at the eighth.

LANCOME TROPHY (St Nom-la-Breteche) Leading third-round scores (GB or Irl unless stated): 201 P Senior (Aus) 69 66 66. 202 M Roe 67 69 66; J Payne 69 68 65; J-M Olazabal (Sp) 65 69 68; E Romero (Arg) 66 67 69. 203 B Lane 66 69 68; T Johnstone (Zim) 67 67 69. 204 J-M Carriles (Sp) 66 71 67; P Mitchell 71 65 68. 205 C O'Connor Jnr 70 67 68; V Fernandez (Arg) 66 70 69. 206 R Karlsson (Swe) 71 69 66; W Riley (Aus) 68 71 67; F Nobilo (NZ) 69 70 67; H Clark 67 69 70. 207 J Spence 72 67 68; M James 69 70 68; S Richardson 68 68 71; G Brand Jnr 69 66 72. 208 C Strange (US) 72 67 69; B May (US) 68 70 70. 209 N Faldo 70 74 65; G Day (US) 68 71 70; M Farry (Fr) 67 71 71. 210 P Broadhurst 71 72 67; D Gilford 72 70 68; B Ogle (Aus) 71 71 68; I Palmer (SA) 71 67 72; B Langer (Ger) 70 68 72; S Torrance 69 69 72; J Rystrom (Swe) 69 67 74; I Woosnam 66 68 76. 211 R Rafferty 72 69 70; C Montgomerie 73 69 69; O Sellberg (Swe) 67 73 71; T Levet (Fr) 71 68 72; I Baker-Finch (Aus) 71 67 73. 212 C Rocca (It) 68 75 69; M Mackenzie 72 68 72. 213 D J Russell 75 72 66; F Lindgren (Swe) 71 74 68; M McLean 73 70 70; P Walton 69 72 72.