THE BARCLAYS SCOTTISH OPEN

Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, to name

but one Spaniard - leader of the pack

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Sick on Thursday, better on Friday, flying on Saturday - this has been some week for Lee Westwood.
And next week might be even more memorable. Perhaps only Tiger Woods will go into The Open at Turnberry with more confidence.
Doubtful before the start of the Barclays Scottish Open and wishing after two holes he had pulled out - "I was stupid to play," he said - Westwood added a third-round 64 today to his second round 66.
And he admitted afterwards that thoughts of the European Tour's first-ever 59 entered his mind when he birdied nine of the first 12 holes and had two more clear chances coming straight up.
"I was just unfortunate," said the Ryder Cup star, who last Sunday was in a play-off for the French Open after a superb closing 65.
"I had to wait on the 13th tee and on the next and those sort of things just break your rhythm occasionally."
A chest infection that kept him awake all night had been the reason he came so close to withdrawing.
"It just goes to show I'm a man who needs his sleep. It just felt like somebody's else head on my shoulders - I was dizzy and I couldn't focus.
"It felt almost like I was hung over, if any of you have ever been hung over." To a group of journalists that raised a laugh.
"I was given anti-biotics, slept for three hours after I played Friday and then for another 12 hours."
But the man Westwood and the rest have to catch over Sunday's final 18 holes is the Spaniard with the name that is the bane of scoreboard operators all over Europe - Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, so much so that the "F" word is often abbreviated to save spae.
Fernandez-Castaño produced a seven-under-par 64 today for a 54-hole tally of 14-under-par 199 over the par-71 track. He described it as "the best round of my life."
But much though he wants to win the €579,340 first prize, there is something he wants more - his dog Petra to be found on the Costa del Sol.
The three year old shar pei has been lost since Thursday night after being frightened by fireworks outside his mother-in-law's home in Marbella.
Asked if he would rather take his fifth European Tour title or be told the dog had been found the 28 year old said: "Believe it or not, I am going to say find the dog - anything to see my wife happy."
He is prepared to offer a reward, but hastened to add: "Not tomorrow's cheque, that's for sure."
The Spaniard's closest rivals are Friday night leader Retief Goosen from South Africaand Germany's Martin Kaymer.
About to become a father for the first time in eight weeks' time, Gonzalo, from Madrid, "only" equalled the lowest round of his European Tour career.
But the British Masters champion stated: "That's the best ever - I've never struck the ball like that. Unfortunately my putting was not as good, but after a 64 I am not going to complain.
"It's funny. On the range I couldn't hit a shot. I hooked one five iron 80 yards left of my target."
On the course, though, he started with three birdies, converted another chance on the driveable ninth and posted three more birdies coming home.
Kaymer is looking for back-to-back wins following his Open de France ALSTOM play-off success over Lee Westwood last Sunday - and he did not drop a stroke either in a 66.
Goosen had been two in front of Adam Scott overnight, but after a smooth start bogeyed the tenth and 13th.
A 69 was still better than the Australian managed, however. Scott, watched again by tennis star Ana Ivanovic, mixed five birdies with five bogeys and a double bogey at the 415 yard 12th.
Welshman Jamie Donaldson moved up to joint fourth with Dane Søren Kjeldsen on 11 under, three behind, after a 65 - and is in position to claim the one Open Championship spot on offer.
Donaldson's only top ten finish this season was a fourth in Portugal over two months ago, but the 33 year old has stayed positive waiting for the next chance to come along.
"What are you going to do - sulk like a baby or get on with it?" the former amateur star told himself. Donaldson partnered Luke Donald and Paul Casey to help Britain and Ireland to second place in the 2000 world amateur team championship (the Eisenhower Trophy).
While they became instant stars on turning professional, Donaldson had serious back problems and lost his European Tour card three years ago before regaining it through the Challenge Tour circuit.
"There's loads at stake, but I'm trying not to think about anything. One shot at a time, stay in the present."
Glasgow's Martin Laird, who has made his pro career in the United States where he spent four years at college, is still riding high on his "Homecoming."