Garcia is Shanghai surprise

SERGIO GARICA hauled himself back into contention for a 12th European Tour title in the BMW Masters in Shanghai.

Garcia began the day three shots off the lead and was five off the pace with six holes to play after following birdies on the fifth and ninth with a ‘stupid’ bogey on the 10th at Lake Malaren.

However, the 35-year-old Ryder Cup star then birdied four of his last six holes to card a third-round 67 and share second place on 14 under with overnight leader Lucas Bjerregaard and Byeong Hun An, one behind Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee.

‘My back nine didn’t start very well. I made a stupid, really, really soft bogey on 10 and then I guess got a couple good breaks on 13 and 14 and took advantage of it,’ said Garcia, who had led the tournament after the first round.

With Rory McIlroy not competing, his rivals in the Race to Dubai have the chance to overtake the fourtime major winner going into next week’s seasonending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

England’s Danny Willett just needs to finish 28th or better in the 78-man field, while Shane Lowry, Louis Oosthuizen and Justin Rose must finish at least second and Branden Grace requires a win.

Rose is five off the lead in joint 13th after his second 67 of the week, with Oosthuizen seven under and Willett and Grace joint 27th on five under. Lowry is three over par after a 74.

Jaidee, who won the most recent of his seven European Tour titles at the European Open in September, dropped his only shot of the day on the 18th to leave the top 15 separated by just five strokes.