Sam stutters home as Callum goes for broke

Five birdies in his first seven holes saw Englishman Horsfield storm into a six-shot lead in the European Tour event at Forest of Arden.

But he would make just one gain in a 40 on the way home, giving up three bogeys and a double to sign for a one-under 71 in Birmingham.

That leaves him on 14 under, one shot clear of Wales’ Oliver Farr (67), Dane Rasmus Hojgaard (66) and Finn Mikko Korhonen (67) teeing up in today’s final round.

While Horsfield enjoyed a frontnine blitz, fel low Engl ishman Shinkwin had a trickier time, having to play his second shot from behind a tree on the par-five third hole.

He broke his iron but still escaped with a par as a 72 left him in a 10-strong group with top Scot Grant Forrest (72) on seven under.

But Horsfield will be the man to catch as he chases his first Tour win, having long been tipped as a star of the future by European Ryder Cup talisman Ian Poulter.

The 23-year-old said: “My caddie just said to me coming off the 18th green: ‘If someone would have sa i d to you on

Thursday you can have a oneshot lead going into Sunday, you would take it’.

“I’ve made it a little bit harder for myself from the position I was in but I’m still looking forward to the final round – it’ll be a lot of fun.

“I got off to a good start then 10, I don’t know what happened there. Then I hit a bad drive down 12 and my timing got a little off, I got a little quick and it got stuck behind me.

“I felt it on a few shots but I’m still in a good position.”

Farr is also searching for a first Tour triumph at nine years Horsfield’s senior. And he’s hopeful his three victories on the second-tier Challenge Tour will hold him in good stead after a bogey-free round.

He said: “I played a lot on the Challenge Tour and have been in contention out there.

“It’s a bit of a step up being on the European Tour but I’ll try to treat it as another tournament and a position I’ve been in before.” A double-bogey six on the 16th spoiled Richie Ramsay’s round as the Scot slumped to a share of 46th on five under on account of a 74. Scott Jamieson is one further back af ter the 36-year-old posted a 70. The other Scot to make the weekend, Connor Syme, carded a 74 to sl ip back to level par.