Graeme McDowell admitted it was "a little frustrating" to make just three bogeys in three rounds and get to 12 under par and still find himself 10 shots behind leader Alexander Levy in the BMW Masters in Shanghai.

A long soft course has played into the hands of the big hitters and while McDowell shot his four successive round in the 60s, a four under 68, he had no answer to Levy, who carded a brilliant nine under par 63 to take a four shot lead into the final day.

Scoring was so hot that Levy's nearest rival is Ryder Cup hero Jamie Donaldson, who had eight birdies and an eagle two in a 62.

Leading on 22 under, Levy is in pole position to win his third European Tour title of the season having claimed the China Open in April and the rain-affected Portugal Masters three weeks ago .

“It was an amazing round and very good fun with my good friends Romain (Wattel) and Nicolas (Colsaerts)," Levey said. "I won three weeks ago and I’ve continued to play very good golf. 

"You don’t have it a lot, where everything is working, so you just have to enjoy the moment and tomorrow I’ll be trying to do the same.

"I like to play with a smile on my face. I try to do that all the time but it’s a lot easier when you’re making birdies.”

Marcel Siem is third, five off the lead with Justin Rose surpried to find himself seven behindd after rounds of 72 65 and 64.

"I thought I’d be in better shape going into the last round rather than seven back, but credit to the guys keeping it going out there," Rose said. "Mr Levy is going ridiculous, but you never know what the leader will face on a Sunday and if he has a bad day I’m in with half a chance.”

McDowell is tied for seventh with Shane Lowry, undone by a double bogey six at the ninth, slipping to tied 20th after a 71

Michael Hoey's 72 relegated him to tied 28th on six under with Paul McGinley tied 55th on one under after a 71.

Round 3 scores

194 A Levy (Fra) 65 66 63, 

198 J Donaldson (Wal) 68 68 62, 

199 M Siem  (Ger) 68 66 65, 

201 J Rose (Eng) 72 65 64, 

203 E Grillo (Arg) 66 68 69, N Colsaerts  (Bel) 66 64 73, 

204 R Wattel  (Fra) 66 67 71, G McDowell  (Nir) 67 69 68, 

205 R Fisher (Eng) 70 67 68, B Grace  (RSA) 68 66 71, J Luiten (Ned) 72 69 64, R Palmer (USA) 70 67 68, R Karlsson (Swe) 69 70 66, G Coetzee (RSA) 71 67 67, M Ilonen  (Fin) 70 66 69, 

206 E Els (RSA) 69 68 69, R Ramsay  (Sco) 70 68 68, D Fichardt (RSA) 69 68 69, T Bjørn (Den) 68 67 71, 

207 B Wiesberger  (Aut) 72 69 66, F Zanotti (Par) 70 68 69, S Lowry  (Irl) 70 66 71, S Dong (Chn) 70 69 68, 

208 R Sterne  (RSA) 68 70 70, D Willett  (Eng) 71 70 67, V Dubuisson  (Fra) 70 70 68, 

209 G Fdez-Castaño  (Esp) 72 68 69, 

210 M Hoey  (Nir) 70 68 72, H Shao-Cai (Chn) 71 71 68, R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) 74 66 70, O Fisher  (Eng) 71 69 70, E Molinari  (Ita) 70 71 69, K Seung-Hyuk (Kor) 70 71 69, O Wilson (Eng) 68 73 69, T Olesen (Den) 70 70 70, T Jaidee (Tha) 71 70 69, 

211 T Hatton (Eng) 73 67 71, E Pepperell (Eng) 72 69 70, D Howell (Eng) 74 71 66, 

212 T Aiken (RSA) 72 68 72, H Otto (RSA) 71 71 70, 

213 C Kirk (USA) 73 72 68, M Carlsson  (Swe) 73 72 68, S Gallacher (Sco) 72 69 72, H Ze-Yu (Chn) 73 71 69, M Baldwin (Eng) 73 71 69, R Bland (Eng) 72 68 73, I Poulter (Eng) 74 69 70, 

214 L Hao-Tong (Chn) 69 71 74, H Mu (Chn) 69 71 74, J Olazábal (Esp) 71 70 73, M Warren (Sco) 70 72 72, M Madsen  (Den) 69 74 71, F Molinari (Ita) 69 74 71, 

215 M Kieffer (Ger) 71 69 75, K Broberg (Swe) 73 69 73, O Zheng (Chn) 72 66 77, L Wen-Chong (Chn) 72 70 73, W Ashun (Chn) 75 70 70, B Koepka  (USA) 73 72 70, P McGinley (Irl) 71 73 71, F Aguilar (Chi) 70 74 71, 

216 T Fleetwood  (Eng) 78 71 67, K Stadler (USA) 73 71 72, 

217 P Larrazábal (Esp) 76 72 69, G Storm  (Eng) 75 70 72, 

218 S Dyson  (Eng) 75 72 71, A Sullivan (Eng) 76 72 70, 

219 C Yi (Chn) 72 71 76, M Jiménez (Esp) 77 70 72, D Horsey (Eng) 73 75 71, 

221 M Foster (Eng) 75 71 75, D Chen Xiao (Chn) 78 73 70, 

222 A Cañizares  (Esp) 78 71 73, 

226 C Zi-Hao (Chn) 77 76 73, M Manassero (Ita) 74 78 74, 

229 L Yan-Wei (Chn) 75 76 78, 

239 W Tianyi (Chn) 76 83 80,