Darren Clarke led after the third round of the EPGA KLM Open on his 40th birthday on Saturday, giving him a chance of a wild-card pick in Europe's Ryder Cup team.

Clarke, who shot a third round 66 for a 12-under par total of 198, led Sweden's Henrik Stenson by three shots and England's John Bickerton by four.

European captain Nick Faldo might now be inclined to call up Clarke for the biennial match against the Americans at Valhalla in Kentucky from September 19 to 21 as one of his two picks at the captain's disgression.

Next week's Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles is the last chance for Europe's finest to try and get into the top 10 of the Order of Merit or show their form and convince Faldo they merit one of the two special invites.

Clarke got three birdies in the front nine on Saturday, having notched a superb 64 in his second round on Friday.

It would be an emotional moment should Clarke, who inspired Europe to victory in 2006 just six weeks after his wife Heather died of breast cancer, make Europe's 12-man team this time.

Clarke did drop a shot on the tricky eighth hole, and saw his lead shrink from three shots to one, but he recovered in style to make up more ground with birdies at the 12th and 13th.

Clarke said: "I came here to try to show Nick I have a bit of game and if I play well I have a great chance.

"I had lots of chances and hit a lot of really good shots - and a couple of poor ones, probably due to a lack of concentration.

"I'm playing with one of the great players in the world in Henrik again tomorrow, so it should be great. I knew I was playing OK and I've really enjoyed the course."

Stenson, assured of his place in Faldo's team following third-place at the British Open and fourth at the final major of the year, the US PGA, shot a 68, while Bickerton came home in 29 for a 66.

England's Justin Rose, eighth in the list, will earn an automatic spot in Europe's team unless three players overhaul his points total in the next week and Oliver Wilson of England and Denmark's Soren Hansen could easily do that on Sunday - they are in 12th and sixth spot in the tournament.

German Martin Kaymer in 11th spot is way down the field with a two-over par total which contained three double bogeys.

It has not done any harm to Rose that his friend Ian Poulter missed the cut in America at The Barclays on Friday.

AFP

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