Havret leads at Gleneagles, Montgomerie struggles

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Gregory Havret dominated the par-5s in the third round.

GLENEAGLES, Scotland (AP) -- Gregory Havret birdied the last hole for a 4-under 69 Saturday to take a one-stroke lead over Anthony Wall after the third round of the Johnnie Walker Championship.

Colin Montgomerie, meanwhile, appeared to have lost his chance of a Ryder Cup wild card after shooting a 76 to fall to joint 54th place with one round to play.

Oliver Wilson shot a 5-under 68 as he tries to clinch the 10th and final automatic spot in the European team. However, he could still be surpassed by Nick Dougherty, who shot a 69 on Saturday.

Captain Nick Faldo will announce the European team on Sunday after the tournament. Other leading candidates for a wild card include Darren Clarke, Paul Casey and Ian Poulter.

Casey and Poulter are playing in the Deutsche Bank Classic in Boston this weekend. It does not finish until Monday.

Wall birdied seven of the last eight holes, including six in a row from the 11th, for a 65 to sit one shot ahead of a group of five players -- Marcel Siem (66), Lee Westwood (66), Ricardo Gonzalez (67), David Howell (68) and Soren Hansen (68).

Hansen and Rose -- who is one shot further back -- are eighth and ninth in the Ryder Cup table and have now secured their places.

Englishmen Wilson and Dougherty were left to battle for the last of the 10 automatic team places for the Ryder Cup team.

Havret, whose last European Tour victory was also in Scotland at Loch Lomond last year, had an eagle and four birdies at the five par-5s Saturday but a bogey at No. 13 and a double at No. 15, both par-4s.

He three-putted the 15th for the second successive day.

The weather is expected to deteriorate Sunday.

"I heard that, so it's going to be quite open for sure," Havret said.

The Ryder Cup battle will be waged in earnest between Wilson, who currently holds the 10th and last automatic team place, and Dougherty, who is the only player who can overtake him.

Wilson's 68 Saturday appeared to leave him in a virtually unassailable situation, but Dougherty came in later with a 69 that left him with an outside chance.

Dougherty is tied 16th, with Wilson tied 25th. Dougherty -- six strokes behind Havret -- virtually needs a win Sunday to earn the place. If Dougherty finished second,Wilson would only need to finish 27th.

"I do think I need to win but it is feasible and it would be a wonderful way to make the team," said Dougherty, who struggled on the greens. "Olly's favourite but I'll see if I can make him sweat a little."

Wilson was proud to have made the cut in the first place, with an eagle and two birdies on the last 10 holes Friday.

"I knew I could do it, I just had to get out of my own way," Wilson said. "To be able to do that when my game wasn't where I wanted it was good."

Montgomerie, who has never lost a singles in his eight Ryder Cup appearances, had little to say after his 76.

"I think you've got plenty out of me this week, thank you very much," Montgomerie said.

Clarke shot a level-par 73, including a four-putt double bogey seven at the long 12th. Now in 38th place, Clarke must rely on his second victory of the year at the Dutch Open last week to entice Faldo into awarding him a wild card.