Fitzpatrick, Willett share Swiss lead

Berne - Former US amateur champion Matt Fitzpatrick stormed home in 30 strokes to join fellow Englishman Danny Willett at the top of the leaderboard after the third round of the European Masters in Crans Montana on Saturday.

The 20-year-old Fitzpatrick, chasing his maiden victory on the tour, posted a six-under-par 64 for a 12-under tally of 198, the same total as overnight leader Willett (71).

Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin (68) was in third place on 200, one ahead of defending champion David Lipsky (69) of the United States.

"I didn't get off to the best of starts with a bogey at the first," former world amateur number one Fitzpatrick told reporters in the Swiss Alps. "At that point 74 was looking much more likely than 64.

"I made a couple of good up and downs to save par at the start of the round which just helps keep the momentum going. Then I got going with a birdie on four and carried it on from there."

Former world number one Lee Westwood (68), 10th-ranked Sergio Garcia (66) and number 18 Patrick Reed (69) were all down the field on 205, five under.

Leading third round scores from the EPGA European Masters on Saturday. (GBR & IRL unless stated; par 70):

198 - Danny Willett 65 62 71, Matthew Fitzpatrick 69 65 64

200 - Raphael Jacquelin (FRA) 68 64 68

201 - David Lipsky (USA) 66 66 69

202 - Seuk-hyun Baek (KOR) 65 63 74, Y.E. Yang (KOR) 65 63 74

203 - Tyrrell Hatton 65 68 70, Richard Green (AUS) 65 67 71, Pelle Edberg (SWE) 65 72 66, Gregory Havret (FRA) 63 69 71

204 - Marcus Kinhult (SWE) 65 66 73, Richie Ramsay 70 66 68, Richard McEvoy 70 66 68, Anirban Lahiri (IND) 67 67 70, Johan Carlsson (SWE) 66 68 70

205 - Marco Crespi (ITA) 68 65 72, Maximilian Kieffer (GER) 71 67 67, Renato Paratore (ITA) 71 67 67, Jazz Janewattananond (THA) 65 70 70, Sergio Garcia (ESP) 69 70 66, Alejandro Canizares (ESP) 67 68 70, Patrick Reed (USA) 67 69 69, Lee Westwood 68 69 68

206 - S.S.P Chawrasia (IND) 70 66 70, Mikko Korhonen (FIN) 70 65 71, Rikard Karlberg (SWE) 65 67 74, Edoardo Molinari (ITA) 67 68 71, Florian Fritsch (GER) 70 66 70, Jyoti Randhawa (IND) 68 70 68, Julien Quesne (FRA) 67 70 69