Karlberg first to challenge Wentworth leaders

WENTWORTH: Sweden's Rikard Karlberg surged up the leader board as the final round of the European PGA Championship got under way here at Wentworth on Sunday.

Karlberg, who was eight shots off the pace after 54 holes, went to the turn in 30, five-under par, with his round being kick-started by a hole-in-one at the 154-yard, par-3, second.

The Swede had bogeyed the first but when his nine-iron found the cup it sparked a run of four birdies in seven holes to the turn and a two at the10th, followed by a birdie at the par-5 12th, took him to eight-under for the tournament and one shot off the leader, Scott Hend of Australia.

Karlberg won his first European Tour title last season when he beat Martin Kaymer in a play-off at the Italian Open and looked likely to be involved in the shake-up here.

Hend's first round 65 gave him the lead but since then he shot 69 and 73 with his third round being disrupted by hecklers. The Australian, who was playing with Danny Willett, said the spectators should have been removed and he felt like punching them but it was all quiet as he was about to tee off.

Hend, who was in the final group with England's Tyrell Hatton was yet to start his round, but several others were preparing to launch an assault on his lead.

England's Chris Wood and Julien Quesne, of France, both birdied the first to move to seven-under par, two off the lead, level with Lee Westwood and 2009 USPGA Champion YE Yang of Korea but a double bogey six at the third put a dent in Willett's chances.

Defending champion Byeong Hun An was two-under for the day after 11 holes but still six shots off the lead and Graeme McDowell's chances appeared to have gone after a double bogey seven on the fifth.

Two-time winner Luke Donald carded a disappointing 71 to finish one-under for the tournament having been four-under on the opening day but Spain's Eduardo de la Riva was playing himself into a good finish as he was three-under for the day and four-under for the tournament after 15 holes.

There was another hole-in-one on Sunday morning with England's James Morrison acing the 187-yard 14th with a five-iron. Morrison followed that up with a bogey and was out of contention on three-over after 16 although he did have the consolation of winning a car.