Golf: Westwood's lead cut to one in Malaysia as compatriot Sullivan surges

Lee Westwood of England tees off on the fourth hole during the third round of the Maybank Malaysian Open golf tournament in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, April 19, 2014. Golfer Andy Sullivan fired a six-under-par 66 to cut Westwood's lead to one sho
Lee Westwood of England tees off on the fourth hole during the third round of the Maybank Malaysian Open golf tournament in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, April 19, 2014. Golfer Andy Sullivan fired a six-under-par 66 to cut Westwood's lead to one shot after the third round of the European Tour's Malaysian Open on Saturday. -- PHOTO: AFP

(REUTERS) - Golfer Andy Sullivan fired a six-under-par 66 to cut fellow Englishman Lee Westwood's lead to one shot after the third round of the European Tour's Malaysian Open on Saturday.

Former world No. 1 Westwood led by four strokes overnight but could only manage a 71 in sweltering conditions at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club after bogeying the last for a three-day total of 14-under 202.

Westwood, chasing his first win since claiming the 2012 Nordea Masters in Sweden, mixed three birdies with two dropped shots on Saturday as he failed to match the form shown in his opening rounds of 65 and 66.

"It was tricky out there," he told reporters. "I didn't play as well as I did the first two days, but there were some difficult flags and it was really hot.

"That's as hot as I've been on a golf course for quite some time. It was a real grind, but I'm leading going into the last round so I'm quite happy with that."

Sullivan, looking for his first victory on tour, climbed up the leader board to move three strokes ahead of France's Julien Quesne (69) in third on 10-under. Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts (72) was a shot further back in fourth spot.

The Englishman, ranked 226th in the world, gained seven shots against a lone bogey on the fourth to make rapid inroads into his compatriot's advantage.

"I only made one mistake but I got it back straight away. I'm delighted with the way I finished," the 27-year-old Sullivan said.

"I felt myself getting a bit tired coming up 15 and 16. I made a couple of sloppy swings but I didn't drop any shots. I holed a good putt on 16 to keep the momentum going."

Spain's Pablo Larrazabal, who had to jump into a lake to escape a swarm of hornets on Friday, had a less eventful round of 70 for a share of the 23rd place on 212 in the US$2.75 million (S$3.44 million) Asian Tour co-sanctioned event.

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