Michael Hoey and Simon Thornton are playing for the minor places but former world No 1 Lee Westwood has his sights set on his first win for nearly two years in the Maybank Malaysian Open.

The Englishman was world No 3 when he won the Norea Masters in June 2012 but while his lead has been cut to just one stroke, the current world No 36 is happy he's still in front.

Five shots clear at one stage, Westwood bogeyed the last to move back to 14 under par with compatriot Andy Sullivan one behind thanks to a sublime 66. 

“It was tricky out there," Westwood said after a one under 71. "I didn’t play as well as I did the first two days, but there were some difficult flags and it was really hot. That’s as hot as I’ve been on a golf course for quite some time. It was a real grind.

“But I’m leading going into the last round so I’m quite happy with that.”

Frenchman Julien Quesne is third on ten under after a 69 while Nicolas Colsaerts slipped five shots off the pace with a level par 72, a birdie at the last one of only three gains on a sweltering day in the Malaysian capital.

“Nothing went right today. I didn’t play that well and I putted awfully," said Colsaerts. "It was a lot warmer today. It was probably the worst it has been all week and I couldn’t beat the heat. I didn’t cope with it.”

Former Walker Cup player Sullivan is seeking his first European Tour win just a month after a career best second place finish in the Trophée Hassan II in Morocco.

“I played well again and tried to limit my mistakes," Sullivan said. "I only made one mistake but I got it back straight away. I’m delighted with the way I finished.

“I felt myself getting a bit tired coming up 15 and 16. I made a couple of sloppy swings but I didn’t drop any shots. I holed a good putt on 16 to keep the momentum going.”

Hoey shot a one over 73 with three bogeys in a row from the 14th doing the damage as he fell 18 spot to tied 31st on three under.

Thornton had two early birdies, dropped four shots in the middle of the round and then picked up shots at the 14th and 16th in a level par 72 but still fell 10 places to 35th on two under.

Maybank Malaysian Open (after 54 holes)

202 L Westwood (Eng) 65 66 71,

203 A Sullivan (Eng) 70 67 66,

206 J Quesne  (Fra) 68 69 69,

207 N Colsaerts  (Bel) 66 69 72,

208 E De La Riva  (Esp) 69 68 71, R Karlberg  (Swe) 72 69 67, M Kawamura (Jpn) 68 70 70, G Mulroy (RSA) 71 68 69, R Santos  (Por) 67 71 70, D Willett  (Eng) 70 66 72,

209 T Lewis (Eng) 70 71 68, L Oosthuizen  (RSA) 72 68 69, S Jamieson  (Sco) 68 71 70,

210 A Lahiri (Ind) 72 72 66, M Manassero (Ita) 71 72 67, B Wiesberger  (Aut) 69 71 70, W Ormsby (Aus) 70 71 69,

211 T Pieters  (Bel) 75 67 69, J Knutzon (USA) 75 67 69, P Marksaeng (Tha) 69 72 70, J Kruger (RSA) 68 71 72, R Bland (Eng) 73 69 69,

212 G Bourdy (Fra) 73 70 69, T Jaidee (Tha) 72 70 70, R Lee (Can) 69 76 67, S Hend (Aus) 70 70 72, R Gangjee (Ind) 74 68 70, P Larrazábal (Esp) 74 68 70, A Lascuna (Phi) 70 65 77, S Chowrasia (Ind) 71 70 71,

213 E Molinari  (Ita) 69 73 71, A Quiros  (Esp) 73 69 71, M Hoey  (Nir) 67 73 73, M Kieffer (Ger) 70 74 69,

214 P Junhasavasdikul (Tha) 73 71 70, S Lewton (Eng) 71 69 74, A Vongvanij (Tha) 70 71 73, S Kapur (Ind) 76 69 69, J Walters (RSA) 71 72 71, S Kjeldsen (Den) 75 68 71, S Thornton (Irl) 74 68 72,

215 P Meesawat  (Tha) 70 71 74, C Pigem (Esp) 71 71 73,

216 N Tantipokhakul (Tha) 76 69 71, A Da Silva (Bra) 72 72 72, H Otto (RSA) 79 66 71, B Easton (RSA) 70 74 72, N Fung (Mas) 72 71 73,

217 M Siem  (Ger) 72 71 74, D Drysdale (Sco) 71 71 75, J Hansen  (Den) 72 72 73, S Dyson  (Eng) 73 71 73, C Lee (Sco) 69 75 73, A Dodt (Aus) 76 67 74, P Whiteford (Sco) 73 72 72,

218 R Wattel  (Fra) 71 72 75, F Molinari (Ita) 71 74 73, K Kheng Hwai (Mas) 72 72 74, J Janewattananond (Tha) 73 72 73,

219 M Crespi  (Ita) 71 73 75, T Wiratchant (Tha) 69 75 75, M Warren (Sco) 69 75 75, C Kumar (Ind) 74 70 75, G Green (am) (Mas) 74 70 75,

220 S Rahman (Ban) 73 70 77, R Khan  (Ind) 72 72 76, R Derksen (Ned) 72 73 75, A Kang (USA) 71 74 75,

221 S Hansen (Den) 69 76 76, C Plaphol (Tha) 74 71 76,

222 C Phadungsil  (Tha) 74 71 77,

223 M Carlsson  (Swe) 74 69 80,

 ** K Aphibarnrat (Tha) 71 71 WD.