Casey Makes His Move

England's Paul Casey shot a third-round 66 to join Swede Peter Hanson at the top of the leaderboard in the Volvo Golf Champions tournament in Bahrain.

The world number nine trailed Hanson by three until he came to the two par fives on the back nine.

Casey made the green in two on both of them, eagled the 13th and birdied the next, then parred his way in to finish on 16 under par.

"It was fun," said Casey. "I had good control of the ball for the first time this week and drove it very nicely.

"It was only one shot lower than the first two days, but a lot more comfortable and probably should have been lower." He missed from under six feet on the last.

Casey failed to win in either Europe or America last season despite a series of near-misses. "It's difficult. I'm playing in the best events in the world and I do need to step it up, but I'm not worried about it," he added.

Hanson, one of four halfway leaders, had made his move around the turn. After birdies at the seventh and eighth he eagled the ninth for the second day running and then added a 35-foot putt for another birdie at the 11th on his way to a 67.

The leaders go into the closing 18 holes a stroke in front of Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke and South African James Kingston, who both shot 67.

Clarke got to the top of the leaderboard after going out in 32, but then had eight pars in a row before boosting his hopes of a 13th European Tour title with a closing 14-foot birdie putt.

Putting tip

The 42-year-old is trying to make use of a putting tip from Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal and commented: "It's definitely been an awful lot better.

"Even the ones I miss have been quality strokes, which is a pleasant change. Jose Maria told me it would take a while."

Miguel Angel Jimenez, back using a putter after breaking his previous one in two pieces during his second round, slipped back to fifth spot with a 69.

Earlier, former Open champion Todd Hamilton - back on the European Tour after losing his PGA card - equalled the course record of 64 set by Swede Johan Edfors and then matched by Scot Stephen Gallacher.

The American had made the cut with just a shot to spare and is still five shots off the pace