Big winds on Friday forced tournament organizers to cut the tournament to a 54-hole event, and it was 1999 Open winner Lawrie who seized the initiative in vastly improved conditions.
The Briton, on 8-under overall (136), leads big-hitting Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts (68) by a stroke with Sweden’s Peter Hanson (69) and Argentine Ricardo Gonzalez (67) one back.
“I’m putting much better. I struggled for two or three seasons with the blade. I’m never going to say I got everything but I’m putting good. I feel I’m getting better as I get older,” the Scot told reporters.
The 43-year-old, who won the same event in 1999 before his greatest triumph at Carnoustie, incurred a one stroke penalty on the 10th green after he dropped his ball on his marker for the second week running.
“I’d never done it in my life - 20 years on Tour - but last week in Abu Dhabi I was lucky because my caddie saw it and said the marker never moved,” Lawrie told reporters.
“This time I wasn’t sure and (senior referee) Andy McFee said I had to be 100 percent sure.
“I wasn’t watching and you guys didn’t have it on the telecast, so you’ve got to take the penalty and kick on.”
World No. 10 Jason Day is 4-under overall (140) with 18th-ranked Sergio Garcia while world No. 3 Lee Westwood and fourth-ranked Martin Kaymer are one shot further behind.
The round of the day came from defending champion Thomas Bjorn, who was all at sea in the first round when he shot a seven-over 79, but improved by a remarkable 14 strokes to card a 7-under 65 and amazingly make the cut.
“I know I can shoot numbers on this golf course. I wasn’t feeling down and out yesterday,” the Dane told the European Tour’s website.
In Yangon, Australia’s Scott Hend kept his nose in front at the Zaykabar Myanmar Open on Saturday with a 3-under third round 69 to take a one-shot lead into the final day.
Hend is aiming to end a three-year title drought but will have to hold off the challenge of rising Thai star Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who also shot a 69 to lie one shot back at the Royal Mingalardon Golf and Country Club.
Tetsuji Hiratsuka of Japan kept alive his hopes of retaining the title when he posted a 67 to share third place with Marcus Both of Australia, a two-time Asian Tour winner and Ben Fox of the United States in the $300,000 event.
The big-hitting Hend, 39, who last won on the Asian Tour in 2008, fired a flawless round with three birdies and said he was not concerned by the chasing pack.
“It doesn’t really worry me, I’m a good player myself, why should I worry about what’s behind me? I’ll just look at what’s in front,” said Hend, according to an Asian Tour press release.
He said he was delighted with his performance so far, despite some disappointing putting.
“It was a bit difficult because I didn’t hole any putts. That was an opportunity gone to put some people out of the tournament and I didn’t do that. It is going to be a good day tomorrow, should be a good shoot-out so let’s see what happens,” he said.
Kiradech, known for his grip-it and rip-it style of play, birdied the last hole to stay within touching distance of the leader, while Hiratsuka, birdied all the par fives in a round of seven birdies against two bogeys to give himself a chance of defending the title he won in 2010.
