Garcia extends his lead to eight shots at Castello Masters on home course

Sergio Garcia shot a 7-under 64 Saturday to extend his lead to a commanding eight shots after the third round of the Castello Masters on the European Tour.

He overcame a shaky start by making a 5-foot birdie putt at the seventh hole before an eagle at the eighth. The 2008 champion made five birdies on a flawless back nine for a 19-under 194 total at his home course at Club de Campo del Medierraneo, where he was club champion at age 12.

 “It’s well set up, but it’s not over. Anybody can shoot a round like I did the last couple of days,” Garcia said after completing his best back-to-back rounds after a 63 Friday.

The 31-year-old Garcia hopes his familiarity with his childhood course can help him protect his lead and end an almost three-year title drought. It would be his ninth European Tour win.

“It’s just a special feeling. The only other time I get this is in the U.K. when I play the Ryder Cup or the British Open,” he said. “The energy of the crowd is just amazing.”

Almost three years after he went to world No. 2 with his 18th professional victory, Garcia looks almost certain to end the longest barren spell of his career.

Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee moved into second place with a 66, while one shot further back on 10 under is England's Ross McGowan. Tied for fourth one further back are Scotland’s Richie Ramsay, Englishman Anthony Wall and Spain's Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano.

Defending champion Matteo Manassero of Italy shot a 71 to trail Garcia by 14 strokes.

Garcia, two in front of Alex Noren at halfway, made a slow start, but so did the Swede. Noren followed his playing partner's bogey on the third by taking 6 at the long fourth -- and then lost a ball en route to a double bogey-7 on the 549-yard eighth.

In contrast, Garcia ignited his round with a 15-foot putt for birdie at the seventh and made another for eagle on the next after a glorious 3-wood approach.

What looked to be the crucial stretch, however, came in the middle of the back nine when he made four birdies in a row from the 13th. The icing on the cake was another at the last.

The performance has been coming for a while. After seeming to sort out his troublesome putting by switching to a claw grip, he was seventh in the U.S. Open in June and then lost a five-hole playoff to compatriot Pablo Larrazabal at the BMW International Open in Munich.

With a ninth-place finish in the British Open and 12th at the PGA Championship, he climbed back into the world top 50, and victory on Sunday could see him just outside the top 30.

"I will have to be very focused. Everybody is going to to try to attack me and I have to realize that," he said of his chances for victory. "There are still a couple of things I would like to improve, but it's obviously getting better and I have more and more confidence."

While Sunday is a big day coming up for Garcia, it is a huge one for McGowan. In the hunt for a Ryder Cup debut until wrist and shoulder injuries intervened last year, the Englishman is a lowly 163rd on this season's money list. Only the top 115 retain their Tour cards.