McGrane makes a move in Sweden

Mikko Illonen has a two shot lead in the Nordea Masters. Picture ©Getty ImagesDamien McGrane boosted his chances of making a major move up the Race to Dubai standings when he carded a four under 68 in the third round of the Nordea Masters.

Ranked a tenuous 108th in the Order of Merit, the Kells man bogeyed the first but then birdied five his of last 10 holes to move up to joint 15th on eight under par.

That’s 10 shots behind Finland’s Mikko Illonen, who holed a pitching wedge for an eagle three at the 15th en route to a seven under 65 that gave him a two-shot lead over home favourite Alex Noren at Bro Hof Slott Golf Club on the outskirts of Stockholm.

Noren, who won at Bro Hof Slot in 2011, returned a superb 64 to move into second place on 16 under and lead a home charge that also includes Jonas Blixt on 14 under after a 66, and Rikard Karlberg in fourth spot on 12 under following his 67.

Alongside Blixt is European golf’s man of the moment Matteo Manassero, the winner of last week’s BMW PGA Championship, who led after the each of the opening two days in Sweden and should have finished round three just two behind Ilonen but for a double bogey on the 18th.

Rathmore’s Alan Dunbar to the back of the field on level par after a disappointing third round 75.

Complete third round scores:

198 M Ilonen  (Fin) 70 63 65;

200 A Noren  (Swe) 67 69 64;

202 M Manassero (Ita) 66 65 71; J Blixt  (Swe) 70 66 66;

204 R Karlberg  (Swe) 69 68 67;

205 T Björn (Den) 70 67 68; J Luiten (Ned) 68 67 70; B Wiesberger  (Aut) 69 72 64;

206 P Larrazábal (Esp) 66 70 70; J Quesne  (Fra) 73 67 66;

207 P Whiteford (Sco) 71 63 73; R Davies (Wal) 69 70 68; M Jiménez (Esp) 72 67 68; H Norlander (Swe) 73 67 67;

208 F Aguilar (Chi) 71 67 70; S Kjeldsen (Den) 70 69 69; D McGrane (Irl) 73 67 68;

209 G Havret  (Fra) 69 70 70; M Kieffer (Ger) 71 69 69; R Johnson (Swe) 72 66 71; R Kakko  (Fin) 71 68 70; J Donaldson (Wal) 67 70 72; A Dodt (Aus) 77 65 67; R Fisher (Eng) 72 67 70; S Benson (Eng) 70 71 68; A Quiros  (Esp) 71 68 70; J Hansen  (Den) 69 73 67; C Lee (Sco) 72 70 67; P Uihlein  (USA) 71 70 68; P Lawrie (Sco) 70 71 68;

210 E Grillo (Arg) 69 71 70; S Hansen (Den) 71 70 69; F Molinari (Ita) 70 67 73; D Drysdale (Sco) 71 68 71; A Cañizares  (Esp) 68 72 70;

211 F Andersson Hed (Swe) 67 72 72; C Doak (Sco) 72 68 71; S Dyson  (Eng) 70 70 71; G Orr (Sco) 68 71 72; P Hanson (Swe) 69 69 73; L Jensen (Den) 71 68 72; J Olazábal (Esp) 72 68 71; A Sullivan (Eng) 71 70 70;

 212 G Bourdy (Fra) 70 71 71; R Bland (Eng) 72 70 70; S Wakefield (Eng) 67 73 72; E De La Riva  (Esp) 71 70 71; P Martin Benavides (Esp) 69 72 71; R Ramsay  (Sco) 70 70 72; L Slattery (Eng) 72 69 71; M Carlsson  (Swe) 70 71 71; E Goya (Arg) 73 68 71; K Aphibarnrat (Tha) 73 69 70; J Campillo (Esp) 72 68 72;

213 J Sjöholm (Swe) 69 73 71; M Baldwin (Eng) 71 69 73; R Gonzalez (Arg) 71 71 71; C Lloyd (Eng) 67 73 73;

 24 T Fleetwood  (Eng) 72 70 72; M Southgate  (Eng) 70 71 73; F Zanotti (Par) 72 66 76; J Parry (Eng) 68 73 73; M Foster (Eng) 73 68 73; S Chowrasia (Ind) 71 69 74; A Hartø  (Den) 72 68 74;

215 J Lagergren (Swe) 70 72 73;

216 A Dunbar (Nir) 72 69 75;

217 S Little (Eng) 73 69 75; M Campbell (Nzl) 75 67 75; J Edfors (Swe) 71 70 76; P Erofejeff (Fin) 70 71 76;

218 M Tullo (Chi) 70 71 77; R Green (Aus) 70 72 76;

219 P Casey  (Eng) 74 68 77