Thomas Bjorn stamped his foot to the floor in a back-nine birdie barrage — he birdied seven of the last eight — to surge five shots clear of Luke Donald and six ahead of Shane Lowry in the BMW PGA.

But if the Danish veteran slips up as he bids to secure a Ryder Cup return, Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy believe they can go low at a soft Wentworth and challenge for Ireland's first win in the event since Harry Bradshaw triuphed at Llandudno in 1958.

Tied for the lead with Bjorn and four clear of the field starting the day, Lowry was two clear when the Dane double bogeyed the first.

He remained in front until he took six at the par-five 12th.

By then Bjorn had birdied the 11th and a birdie at the 12th was the second of a six-in-a-row, tournament record run which saw him close with birdie four to a card 67 for a five-stroke lead over Donald on 15 under.

Lowry was not feeling 100 percent with his game and had 32 putts in a 73 that left him six behind Bjorn in solo third on nine under.

But he's not giving up just yet despite being outscored by seven strokes by Bjorn on the back nine.

“I’m disappointed, but it could have been a lot worse," Lowry said. "I didn’t play great today. I hit some poor drives, and just didn’t feel comfortable out there. My alignment felt a bit off and I just didn’t feel that comfortable, simple as that.

“But I still have half a chance, and if you’d have given me this position going into tomorrow on Wednesday, I would have taken your hand off, so I can’t really complain.”

McIlroy is currently in a share of fourth place with Joost Luiten after the duo carded respective rounds of 69 and 67.

“It’s a golf course that I’ve always liked," McIlroy said to the surprise of many. "I like the layout of it, but it can sometimes play a little bit tricky because of the conditions.

“But with the golf course being soft, I think I can play it a little bit better. It’s not a course that I’ve had much success on in the past, but I feel like I’m handling myself pretty well around it this week.”

McIlroy took six at the first but played the rest in five under with birdies at the fourth, seventh, 11th, 12th and 17th giving him a 69, his third successive sub par round this week.

"Look, I've had big leads and let them slip, and come from behind and won," he said. "There's a lot of ways to win. 18 holes of golf is still a long way to go, but I'm going to need something very special, maybe something similar to what Thomas did the first day. But if the condition are favourable, then you never know what can happen."

Bjorn never gave up despite being three over after five and got his reward.

“Putts just started dropping, and all of a sudden you get in that frame of mind, and everything just goes your way," he said. "I even hit a poor tee shot on 17 and got away with it.

“So it just became one of those days where things roll your way. I’m proud of the way I handled my round. To be three over after five holes and then shoot 67 was pretty good. I was very proud of my determination and the way I stayed with my golf today.”

Simon Thornton made 17 pars and a bogey at the 11th in a 73 to lie tied 36th on one under but Pádraig Harrington had another bad day on the greens, taking 34 putts in a 74 to fall to 61st on three over.

Damien McGrane is a shot further back after a 74.

2014 BMW PGA after 54 holes

201 T Björn (Den) 62 72 67,

206 L Donald (Eng) 71 67 68,

207 S Lowry (Irl) 64 70 73,

208 J Luiten (Ned) 70 71 67, R McIlroy (Nir) 68 71 69,

209 P Larrazábal (Esp) 69 71 69,

210 H Stenson (Swe) 68 71 71, A Sullivan (Eng) 70 71 69, T Aiken (RSA) 68 72 70, F Molinari (Ita) 71 74 65, J Donaldson (Wal) 73 69 68, E Pepperell (Eng) 69 73 68, A Wall (Eng) 67 76 67, C Doak (Sco) 69 72 69,

211 J Blixt (Swe) 68 71 72, G Stal (Fra) 66 76 69, R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) 65 73 73,

212 F Zanotti (Par) 67 72 73, M Siem (Ger) 69 71 72, M Kaymer (Ger) 68 75 69, S Dyson (Eng) 69 74 69,

213 S Gallacher (Sco) 70 75 68, M Foster (Eng) 72 71 70, M Hooper (Eng) 71 71 71, S Benson (Eng) 71 69 73, R Green (Aus) 70 73 70, M Warren (Sco) 73 69 71, J Rose (Eng) 70 73 70,

214 R Finch (Eng) 71 72 71, A Hansen (Den) 71 69 74, D Horsey (Eng) 68 76 70, T Olesen (Den) 71 73 70, C Wood (Eng) 73 72 69, A Levy (Fra) 71 73 70, L Westwood (Eng) 71 71 72,

215 G Coetzee (RSA) 75 70 70, R Jacquelin (Fra) 70 75 70, S Thornton (Irl) 74 68 73, G Havret (Fra) 69 76 70, A Quiros (Esp) 73 72 70, B Wiesberger (Aut) 70 71 74, T Hatton (Eng) 75 70 70,

216 M Jiménez (Esp) 72 72 72, R Ramsay (Sco) 70 72 74, I Poulter (Eng) 70 72 74, P Lawrie (Sco) 72 71 73, R Karlsson (Swe) 74 70 72, T Lewis (Eng) 73 72 71,

217 J Campillo (Esp) 73 73 71, G Storm (Eng) 71 73 73, B Grace (RSA) 70 75 72, C Del Moral (Esp) 71 75 71, E Molinari (Ita) 75 70 72,

218 P Waring (Eng) 72 72 74, R Rock (Eng) 73 73 72, G Bourdy (Fra) 72 73 73, R Kakko (Fin) 75 71 72, N Colsaerts (Bel) 77 69 72, D Willett (Eng) 73 73 72, S Hansen (Den) 73 72 73,

219 J Carlsson (Swe) 71 75 73, R Derksen (Ned) 70 76 73, M Ilonen (Fin) 71 71 77, T Jaidee (Tha) 72 73 74, R Wattel (Fra) 72 74 73, P Harrington (Irl) 69 76 74,

220 R Santos (Por) 72 69 79, D McGrane (Irl) 71 75 74, A Otaegui (Esp) 72 73 75, D Huizing (Ned) 72 74 74,

221 E De La Riva (Esp) 71 72 78,

223 P Hanson (Swe) 71 72 80,

225 K Broberg (Swe) 73 72 80,

228 O Fisher (Eng) 69 75 84