Day three digest: Alfred Dunhill Links Championship

Everything you need to know from day three in Scotland.

More links specialists thrive, a 57 (!), and the Champion Golfer of the year has a wild ride.

Here is everything you need to know from day three of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Perez and Southgate vault to the top

Matthew Southgate was born on the English coast. Links is in his blood and he has shown that on the very biggest stage, with impressive showings at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open and The Open Championship. Victor Perez was born in the landlocked French town of Tarbes but last year he moved to Dundee and now he too has mastered the unique art of the coastal game. They lead the way at 20 under as they go in search of maiden European Tour titles, two shots clear of Paul Waring.

Familiar faces lurk

There are chasing packs and there are chasing packs. Tony Finau is three shots off the lead - a man who finished in the top ten here last season and has two top tens in The Open Championship. Alongside him at 17 under is a player who has two top five in this event in Joakim Lagergren. In the group a shot further back sits four time top ten finisher Luke Donald and Andrea Pavan, who finished fifth last season. And then, five shots off the lead, we have defending champion Lucas Bjerregaard and and 2016 and 2017 winner Tyrrell Hatton. It could be quite a Sunday in Scotland.

How many?

Donald fired a solo 64 to put himself in contention in the solo event but in the team betterball, he and footballer turned pundit Jamie Redknapp combined for a quite remarkable 57. The two are good friends and the chemistry showed as they combined for nine birdies and three eagles, the highlight being this beauty on the last.

A family affair

At ten shots back with 18 holes to play, it's fairly safe to say that even the great Rory McIlroy will not be producing a Sunday that wins him the solo event this week but that does not mean he is not having a great time playing alongside dad Gerry. His relaxed demeanour showed as he stopped for photos with fans mid-round on Saturday.

But there is business to be taken care of on Sunday as he seeks a team win alongside his old man. Rory said on Wednesday that with his dad turning 60 next week, he would happily take a team win over a solo second. It now looks like he would take a team win over anything and who could blame him. The McIlroy men head into the final day one shot off the lead.

24 hours in Lowry land

It all actually started after the final putt had dropped on day two, when Open Champion Shane Lowry was spotted in The Open Championship shop in St Andrews. He may just have been in there after being asked for a photo but when the men who spot you are Nick Dougherty, Andrew Coltart and Rich Beem, that doesn't really matter.

On Saturday he started his round with five birdies and turned in 30 to equal hs lowest nine ever on the European Tour - and then this happened on the Road Hole. He may be seven back but don't count Shane out of this just yet, stranger things have happened to him this week.