Home favourite Marcel Siem began the final round of the BMW International Open with a hattrick of birdies to claim a share of the lead in Cologne.
The 31 year old from Mettmann – less than an hour’s drive from Gut Lärchenhof – holed an eight footer at the first, a 30 foot putt at the second and chipped to two feet at the long third.
That took him to 12 under par and wiped out Danny Willett’s overnight lead.
Australian Marcus Fraser also began well with an approach to five feet at the first and two-putt birdie at the third to make it a three-way tie at the top.
They were one clear of South African Keith Horne, who also birdied the third, with another five players within two shots of the lead.
Willett – yet to win on The European Tour despite 19 top-ten finishes - returned to the outright lead when he knocked in a five footer at the third to be one clear.
The 24 year old stretched his lead to two with a precise tee shot to five feet at the short fourth, but Fraser quickly halved it with a birdie at the par five sixth. Siem, on the other hand, stalled somewhat after his fantastic start with three straight pars.
