Westwood fires 61 to lead HSBC Champions

Lee Westwood carded a sensational 61 to join Louis Oosthuizen in a share of the lead going into the final round of the WGC-HSBC Champions Tournament in Shenzhen, China.

The Englishman and former world number one opened with three birdies and went to the turn in 30 and his bogey-free, 11-under-par round to be at 18-under.

Lee Westwood (Credit: Anthony Powter)

2010 Open champion Oosthuizen saw his five-shot overnight lead whittled away after a round of 70.

Phil Mickelson fired a 66 and is three shots off the pace, while Ian Poulter, Bill Haas and Ernie Els are a further shot adrift in fourth place.

The round of the day belonged to American Brandt Snedeker who fell agonisingly short of becoming the first golfer to shoot a sub-60 round at a European Tour event.

Snedeker needed to sink a 20-foot putt on the 18th green at Mission Hills. Had he holed it, he would have become the first player to shoot the first sub-60 score in a World Golf Championship event.

Adam Scott is the best of the Australians in a tie for 9th position at 12-under, with Marc Leishman two behind in a tie for 16th at 10-under.