Goosen races from three behind to one in front at Portugal Masters

VILAMOURA, Portugal (PA) -- Retief Goosen, unable to win a match at last week's Presidents Cup, leads the Portugal Masters with a round to play.

The 40-year-old South African, chasing his first European Tour victory for more than 2 1/2 years, fired a second successive 64 Saturday to move from three behind Italian Francesco Molinari to one in front.

That included pitching in for eagle at the second and chipping in for birdie at the 15th, just the sort of stuff International Captain Greg Norman would have been hoping for against the Americans in San Francisco.

Goosen had three defeats and a half there and was even left out of one session, but now he is on course for a big victory. He is also the first man in Europe this season to reach 20 under after 54 holes.

Lee Westwood lies third on 17 under after a two-birdie finish gave him a 66, and second place will almost certainly be good enough Sunday to take him to the top of the European money list.

Rory McIlroy, who took over the No. 1 spot at St. Andrews less than two weeks ago, is down in 53rd place and admits he is powerless to prevent his stablemate going above him.

But Westwood mimicked Seve Ballesteros when he said: "Second eez is no good.

"That's what Billy (his caddie Billy Foster) keeps telling me. It's what Seve always said to him when they were together," he added. "I'm not even thinking about the money list. I'm just trying to win the Portugal Masters, and that's hard enough."

Westwood has gone more than two years without a victory anywhere -- Goosen has tasted success in Asia, Africa and America in the last 12 months -- and in that time, of course, has twice come desperately close to capturing his first major title.

"I've just got to get a few breaks," the Englishman added. "To birdie the last two feels pretty good. A 68 would have felt a poor score."

He two-putted the long 17th and then hit his approach over the water to seven feet on the last.

"Billy thought it was a little 9-iron, but I had the confidence to hit a hard wedge. That was the only way to get close -- it was a sucker flag and I was a sucker and went for it."

Goosen, outscoring his playing partner Padraig Harrington by seven, had already birdied the first when he sank his approach to the next.

He was already 7 under for the day when he two-putted the 547-yard 12th -- Harrington was in the lake there -- but found water himself off the 14th tee and dropped his only shot.

Chipping in on the next was a real bonus and he added another birdie at the 17th.

"Last week was very disappointing for me, but the last two days have obviously been great," said Goosen. "On Sunday (in a singles clash with Phil Mickelson that he lost on the 17th) I hit the ball very nicely, but made only one putt."

Harrington's 71 dropped him from third to ninth and he now has six shots to make up, while Justin Rose -- second after an opening 65 -- is down to 19th on 11 under after a 70.

Goosen's 64 was matched by Oliver Wilson as he moved from 29th to tied fifth, but with a five-stroke deficit, a 10th second place might be on the cards for the Ryder Cup star.

Wilson has still to taste victory and, with his father awaiting tests for the bladder cancer diagnosed earlier this year, he said: "There is only one person in the world who wants me to win more than me and that's him."

Biggest crash of the day came from Alastair Forsyth, down from sixth to 53rd with a 77 that contained two double-bogey 7s and a quadruple-bogey 8.

Fellow Scot Colin Montgomerie felt pretty much the same when he came off, though. After playing the first 12 in 6 under, he finished bogey, double bogey after going in the water both times. He is now 8 under and 40th.

McIlroy has struggled on the greens all week and on 5 under commented: "Even if I shoot a really good score here, I'm not going to get anywhere. In terms of the Race to Dubai, it's not going to make any difference what I do tomorrow."

His next event is the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain starting on Thursday week.

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