The 39-year-old was steady at the start of his round at Penha Longa but burst into life with seven birdies in 13 holes from the sixth to card a 19-under total of 197.

Bjorn needed to liven up as motor racing fan Richard Green came roaring after him.

The Australian equalled the course record of 64 after an impressive putting display as he finished on 200, two strokes better than Irishman Damien McGrane (68).

Argentine Daniel Vancsik (68) and Britons Robert Rock (68) and Robert Coles (69) were a further shot behind.

Bjorn has lost his way since finishing 14th on the European money-list in 2006, the year he won the Irish Open to claim the last of his nine titles.

During a week in which he has also pre-qualified for next month's British Open at St Andrews, though, the Dane has shown the sort of form that earned Ryder Cup appearances in 1997 and 2002.

"I was a little bit nervous at the start, it's been so long," Bjorn told Reuters. "But I've learned not to force it and soon the birdies came thick and fast.

"Now I have to produce in the final round. I can't hang back and expect it to fall into my lap."

Left-hander Green beat compatriot Greg Norman and Britain's Ian Woosnam, both major winners, in a playoff for the 1997 Dubai Desert Classic crown but it was another 10 years before he added the Austrian Open to his European Tour CV.

The 39-year-old Australian took only 25 putts as he strung together eight birdies on Saturday.

Green also found top gear earlier in the week when he drove a Ferrari around the nearby Estoril Grand Prix circuit after Thursday's first round.

"It was a great experience driving on one of the world's great circuits," he said. "I raced in the GT category at the Australian Grand Prix and came fourth in my class this year.

"It is dangerous and accidents do happen. You just have to make sure you're not in one."
 

In Memphis, Tennesee,  Englishman Lee Westwood birdied his final three holes and grabbed a share of a one-stroke lead Friday with Garrett Willis after the second round of the St. Jude Classic.

Westwood had a one-stroke lead after the first round, and the world's No. 3-ranked player had to scramble a bit after two bogeys dropped him two strokes off the lead in this final tuneup for the U.S. Open. He rolled in a 26-footer for birdie on No. 17, and then hit a 9-iron within 4 feet for a 68 that tied him with Willis at 9-under 131 total through 36 holes.

"You've got to be on the fairway to attack the flags, and I just didn't hit it close enough to the flag early on," said Westwood, who was making his Memphis debut. "So it was a day of patience and battling, and I was rewarded at the end of the round with three birdies for doing that." Willis, who spent last year on the Nationwide Tour, had five birdies in a bogey-free round to put himself in the final group for Saturday.

Charley Hoffman had the clubhouse lead early with a 65 and was at 132. Robert Karlsson (66) and Robert Garrigus (66) were tied for third at 133. Texas teenager Jordan Spieth, who became the sixth-youngest player to make a PGA cut at the Byron Nelson last month, missed this cut at 1 over as he finished 2-over 142.

Hoffman took advantage of his calm conditions in the morning to become the first golfer to reach 8 under. His sixth birdie, which he rolled in from 78 feet on the par-3 14th, helped him take the clubhouse lead.

Westwood joined him at 8 under with his first birdie of the round on his fourth hole. He gave that stroke back with a bogey on No. 8 when he was short of the par-3 green and didn't get up and down. Westwood pushed a 17-footer for birdie on No. 9 just right of the hole.

He dropped another shot on the par-3 14th when he hit his tee shot into a bunker behind the green and two-putted.