Title-holders Sweden cut Ireland's lead to two

strokes halfway through Saturday round

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Defending champions Sweden trimmed Ireland’s advantage to two strokes at the midway point of Saturday`s third round four-balls at the Omega Mission Hills World Cup.
Holding a three stroke overnight lead following Friday`s alternate shot foursomes, Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell reached the turn in four under par to progress to 22 under overall at Mission Hills Golf Club in China
But with Robert Karlsson inspiring Sweden to five under for the day at the turn, he and partner Henrik Stenson are firmly in the hunt.
Karlsson’s putter was proving a key tool in Sweden’s arsenal as the former European number one drained a 30 foot birdie putt which broke three times from off the green at six before adding his fourth gain in five holes at the seventh.
World Number Seven Stenson finally made his first contribution of the day at the ninth to leave the defending champions a shot clear of Italy.
Brothers Francesco and Edoardo Molinari also played the front nine of the undulating Olazabal Course in five under to progress to 19 under par.
Ireland, who posted a brilliant 14 under par in Thursday’s opening round fourballs, started brightly with two birdies over the first three holes.
But they had to wait until the seventh to add a third following McIlory’s deft chip to less than a foot from the greenside bunker before McDowell picked up his second shot of the day at the ninth.
Australia and Korea set the clubhouse mark at 16-under-par although it appears they will still be well off the pace by the end of the third day ahead of the final round alternate shot foursomes on Sunday.
US PGA Championship winner Y E Yang blazed six birdies on the front nine before partner Charlie Wi took over on the trip home with four of the five gains on the back nine as Korea posted a 11-under-par 61.
“We played with Ireland on Thursday and they are playing really well,” said the US PGA Tour regular Wi.
“Rory and Graeme are hitting it so nice and they are making the putts when they need to.
“It depends how they finish up today, if we are two, three, four, five shots back, we might have a chance, but other than that, it will be really tough to catch them.
“YE shot 30 on the front nine by himself and then I was able to contribute on the back nine. He played really beautifully but to shoot 61 you both have to contribute and I think that we are very lucky to make the putts at the right time. We didn’t birdie the same hole, we picked up a birdie on the hole the other one didn’t.
“If we were told we would have a 61 before we teed off we would have been very pleased and hopefully we will be able to improve on what we did.”
Australian duo Stuart Appleby and Robert Allenby also did not drop a shot in their ten under 62.