Sweden's Peter Hedblom went to the top of the leaderboard for the second successive Saturday to seize the initiative after the Johnnie Walker Championship third round. Hedblom returned a four-under-par 68 for an eight-under total of 208, one ahead of 1999 British Open champion Paul Lawrie (73) who led for the opening two days. Two late bogeys dropped Lawrie to seven-under, a stroke better than fellow Britons Steven O'Hara (66) and Jamie Donaldson (70), Frenchman Gregory Bourdy (71) and 2008 Ryder Cup player Soren Hansen (71) of Denmark. Hedblom held a two-shot advantage going into the final round of last week's Dutch Open before losing out to Briton Simon Dyson in a playoff that also included Irishman Peter Lawrie. The 39-year-old Swede said he had to scramble to get in enough practice before his third round at Gleneagles after staying too long in his hotel gymnasium. However, the short practice routine did not prevent Hedblom overhauling Scot Lawrie on a windy day on the Centenary course that will host the 2014 Ryder Cup. Hedblom is seeking his third tour title while Lawrie is keen to end a seven-year victory drought. “I'm playing well and looking forward to the last round,” said Lawrie. “I can't remember when I last went out in the final round in the last group.” The 13th hole proved a calamitous one for British rookie Jonathan Caldwell, who had been joint second overnight. The Northern Irishman four-putted there from only two feet for a triple-bogey seven as he slid to a 76 for 214. Jose Maria Olazabal, who was also in the title hunt overnight, bogeyed the last four holes for a 77 and 216, the same tally as Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie (72).
