Molinari furthers Ryder Cup claim

Third round leaderboard:
-10 F Molinari (Ita) -9 E Molinari (Ita) -8 O Wilson (Eng), S Dyson (Eng), G Bourdy (Fra) S Gallacher (Sco) Selected others: -7 M A Jimenez (Spn), G Boyd (Eng) -4 R Fisher (Eng), P McGinley (Ire) -3 P Hanson (Swe) level A Quiros (Spn) +2 P Price (Wal)

Molinari won November's World Cup with his brother Francesco

Edoardo Molinari moved to within a shot of his brother Francesco's lead at the Johnnie Walker Championship to boost his bid for Ryder Cup selection.

Edoardo shot a 69 and declared he would be "very upset" if he won the event and Europe captain Colin Montgomerie did not choose him as one of his wildcards.

Francesco, already qualified for the team, fired a 68 for a 10-under total.

Simon Dyson, needing to win to have any chance of automatic qualification, is eight under after a third-round 70.

However, even victory for Englishman Dyson would not secure a spot on Montgomerie's side for the match against the USA at Wales's Celtic Manor in October.

Dyson must win and hope that either Miguel Angel Jimenez is not in the top nine or Peter Hanson outside the top 43.

Spain's Jimenez, who currently occupies the ninth and last remaining qualifying berth in the Cup standings, was just a shot behind Dyson, carding a 71.

"Miguel's score never entered my mind once out there," said 32-year-old Yorkshireman Dyson, who shares third spot with Scotland's Stephen Gallacher and England's Oliver Wilson. "You can't really focus on anybody else's score. I'm just focusing on my own."

Swede Hanson, who is eighth in the standings, birdied his first two holes but went on to card five bogeys as he went around in 75 to leave him three under.

Spaniard Alvaro Quiros needs a minor miracle to force his way into an automatic qualifying place after a 73 left him level par for the tournament.

606: DEBATE Paired in the Ryder Cup, the Molinaris would be as hyped up as Seve and Sergio, and both in good form too playunextyear

The elder of the Molinaris, Edoardo, meanwhile, was making Montgomerie's already tough wildcard decisions even tougher.

"I'm probably one of the candidates, so I think if you win the last event and you don't get picked there's something seriously wrong," the 29-year-old boldly declared.

Montgomerie, though, who failed to make the cut on Friday, could well disappoint Edoardo.

Asked if he could omit the Italian if he wins, the Scot said: "Oh yeah, I might not.

"It would make my headache even worse, but it's a lovely headache to have. I don't feel under pressure to pick somebody from this tournament. I feel under pressure to pick the best players.

"It's an extremely interesting situation we find ourselves in - and it would happen to me!"

Other hopefuls for the three wildcard picks, Padraig Harrington, Paul Casey, Luke Donald and Justin Rose are all attempting to impress Montgomerie at The Barclays, the first round of the FedEx Cup, in New Jersey.

Edoardo and his brother won the World Cup together last November, and the former has proferred the opinion that they could work equally well together as a Ryder Cup pairing.

Francesco qualified automatically when Ross McGowan withdrew injured on Thursday in Perthshire, thereby ending the Englishman's Cup dream.

And he claims he is determined as his sibling Edoardo to win on Sunday. "I want to win - it's been four and a half years since I have," said the 2006 Italian Open champion.

Francesco was the ninth player to have at least a share of the lead during the day's play.

Joint overnight leaders Gary Boyd (74) and David Lynn (77), both from England, and Frenchman Julien Guerrier (73) all endured a miserable Saturday to fall down the leaderboard.

Potenshöjande medel - potenshöjande medel