Scott leaves his troubles behind

Australia's Adam Scott and Maarten Lafeber of Holland share the lead going into the final round of the £1.3 million Scandic Carlsberg Scandinavian Masters at Barseback today. Scott carded a third-round 67 for an eight-under-par total of 208 which Lafeber later matched with a 69.

The pair enjoy a two-shot advantage over a four-strong group containing young Englishmen Luke Donald, Nick Dougherty and Steve Webster, and Sweden's Carl Pettersson.

Glandular-fever victim Dougherty, who held a three-shot lead at the halfway stage, struggled to a 74 while US-based Pettersson set a new course record with his 66.

Scott missed the cut in his last three events, but yesterday had five birdies and kept up his record of not three-putting this week after months of problems on the greens.

"The last couple of months I've not felt like I could win," Scott, 23, said. "I've been going to tournaments hoping to turn it round but the last three days have shown me that if I keep playing like this it will take a great round to beat me.

"My recent form has been pretty poor, not so much with the longer putts but with those from six feet and in. If you miss enough of those you think you're never going to make one and it takes you out of tournaments."

Scott is 20th in the Volvo Order of Merit, but his recent poor form has seen him slip out of the automatic qualifying places for the President's Cup - the Ryder Cup-style contest between America and the Rest of the World in South Africa in November.

Lafeber, 28, a pupil of Belgian motivational coach Jos Vanstiphout, said: "I've been working with Jos again since last month and that has turned a lot of things around. He's made me stay more patient and accept mistakes. I don't feel I'm playing any better than a few months ago but I was trying way too hard and taking everything too seriously."

Dougherty, 21, and Donald, 25, will play together today, reviving memories of their successful Walker Cup partnership which helped Great Britain and Ireland to only their second victory on American soil in 2001.

Dougherty, who lost his lead in the first few holes yesterday, said: "It was pretty ugly, but I hung in there and I'm in a good position to win this tournament still. I could have really blown it away but I recovered what could have been a disastrous day."

Donald, who shot 71, said: "It's tightly packed and I'm still right there. If I can shoot four or five under I think I'll have a good chance"