Donald shakes off a scratchy start to keep $10m jackpot in sight

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Australia's Aaron Baddeley and Hunter Mahan of the United States go into the final day of the Tour Championship here at East Lake in a two-way tie for the lead. But Britain's Luke Donald, the world No 1, can still hold out some hope of taking the $10m jackpot

Baddeley and Mahan lie nine under par overall after managing to wrestle control away from Baddeley's compatriot Adam Scott, whose four-over 74 leaves him five shots off the pace.

Donald recovered from a scratchy start to end even for the day and three shots off the lead – a position he may well have settled for at the start of the third round.

Baddeley, who was born in the US but moved to Australia as a two-year-old, dropped three shots on his way around, making errors on the fifth, 11th and 17th, but seven birdies and an eagle helped him make amends as he checked into the clubhouse with a six-under 64.

Mahan was equally as impressive, playing consistently all day for a four-under 66 that gives him an excellent chance of picking up a fourth Tour title.

Both leaders will be cautious of the looming presence of Phil Mickelson, with the left-hander having carded a three-under 67 to place himself on the shoulder of the action on five under.

Anyone north of Scott will fancy their chances, with the likes of Charles Howell III (four under), KJ Choi and Jason Day (both seven under) all regulars at the business end of tournaments.

It was not such a good day for England's Justin Rose, who like Donald went round in par but, unlike his compatriot, he is nowhere near after a poor second round.

He will start tomorrow looking to avoid last place of those remaining after the cut, with his four over worsened only by Mark Wilson (six), Jonathan Byrd (seven) and YE Yang

The Englishman Tom Lewis, who took the golfing world by storm with a first-round 65 in the Open in July, the lowest ever by an amateur in its 151-year history, is playing in his first event in the paid ranks in Austria. The 20-year-old boy wonder will earn his first paycheque but is seven shots off the lead in a tie for 23rd.