Strong Irish showing in Johnnie Walker Classic

Gareth Maybin, Peter Lawrie and Damien McGrane are in contention entering the final round of the Johnnie Walker Classic.

The trio are tied on 10-under par, four shots behind leaders Ross McGowan and John Bickerton after 54 holes at The Vines Resort in Perth.

Maybin, who came so close in Malaysia, has continued his impressive form and fired a round of 68 on Saturday, containing five birdies and just one dropped shot.

The Ulsterman’s accuracy with his irons has again been the highlight of his game, missing only eight greens in regulation in the first three rounds, including just two on Saturday.

Lawrie has also taken his good form in Malaysia with him to Australia. A double-bogey five on the 16th was the only blemish in an otherwise solid 69, that included five birdies.

McGrane had held a share of the lead after two rounds but he endured a nightmare start to his third round as he looked to breakaway from the field.

Three bogeys in his opening eight holes resulted in a front nine of 39, and he will be extremely grateful that he managed to repair the damage with three birdies on his way in and end the day as he had started it at 10-under.

After missing the last two cuts in the Middle East since his fourth place finish in the Qatar Masters, McGrane will be delighted to be in the thick of the action come Sunday morning.

In a strange twist of fate Lawrie and Maybin have been paired together on the final day for the second week in a row.

The pair tee off at 12midnight GMT alongside home favourite Peter Senior, while McGrane will join Australian Andrew Dodt and Taichiro Kiyota of Japan in the group ten minutes ahead.