Foster, Garrido top at Walker

Gleneagles - Britain's Mark Foster held his nerve to birdie the 18th on Saturday and ensure he will go into the final round of the Johnnie Walker Championship pegged at the top of the leaderboard with Spaniard Ignacio Garrido.

They hold a three-stroke lead over the chasing pack of five which includes Denmark's Thomas Bjorn, winner this year of the Qatar Masters, and another Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal.

Foster, the first round leader, went into the third round one shot behind Garrido.

A birdie on the par-5 second was followed by an eagle at the ninth as the 36-year-old Englishman, looking for only his second win on the European tour, went out in 33.

A bogey at the 11th checked his progress but two further birdies gave him a round of 68 and a 54-hole total of 205.

"I just kept the ball in play and just kept hitting great shots into the par fives, getting on the greens in two, making eagle chances," said Foster.

The 39-year-old Garrido also enjoyed a fruitful front nine on the course which will play host to the 2014 Ryder Cup, shelling three birdies as he also turned in 33.

Like Foster, he dropped a shot at the awkward 11th as well as at the 15th but birdies at 14 and 16 gave him a round of 68 and an excellent chance of landing his first title since 2003.

"I feel good. I think it's great to be back in this position," said Garrido.

"When you are, you never know when the next one is going to be, so it's nice to have another go at a title.

"The good thing is, even though it's been a while, once you've been there, you know what the feeling is. So in that sense, well, I think I've got the experience to know how I'm going to be feeling tomorrow (Sunday).

"Obviously, the fact that you have the chance to win, it puts a little bit of pressure on you, but hope it's some nice pressure.

"I'm enjoying my golf lately, and that's what I've done these three days which is probably the key. I will try to do the same tomorrow."

Foster and Garrido hold a three-stroke advantage over Bjorn, Larrazabal, the Austrian Bernd Wiesberger, Anthony Kang of the US and Ireland's Peter Lawrie.

The best rounds of the day came from Scotsman Stephen Gallacher and South Africa's George Coetzee who both went round in 67.

Gallacher is in a group of five who are four shots off the lead while Coetzee - who has recovered superbly from a horrific first round 77 - is one shot further back.