Charging Westwood: Winning at Wenworth would be ironic after my move to America

By Phil Casey, Press Association

PUBLISHED: 12:11 EST, 25 May 2013 | UPDATED: 12:40 EST, 25 May 2013

Lee Westwood admits it will be ironic if his first victory since moving to Florida comes in England tomorrow, where the world number 12 could win his maiden BMW PGA Championship at the 20th attempt.

Westwood goes into the final round one shot behind Spain's Alejandro Canizares after a 67 gave him an eight-under-par total of 208 at a gloriously sunny Wentworth.

Canizares birdied the final two holes to complete a 68 as he seeks a second European Tour title in his first event since pulling out of the Volvo China Open at the start of the month after being diagnosed with viral meningitis.

Moving day: Lee Westwood raced up the leaderboard after this third-round 67 into second place

Short game improvement: Lee Westwood said his move to America has made a real difference to his putting

'I'm still far from holding the trophy but it would be ironic,' said Westwood, who has credited the vast improvement in his short game to moving to the United States in December last year.

'It would be great and I am after as many wins as I can get, but it's a crowded leaderboard and I will have to play as well if not better than I did today.

'I felt much more in tune with my swing and had a lot better distance and direction control with my irons and set up a lot of chances. It was one of the most fun days I have ever had on a golf course.

On target: Lee Westwood's iron play helped him shoot 67

Look of intent: Lee Westwood

Crowd favourite: Lee Westwood tees off on the first hole with a sizable gallery watching him

Wentworth leader: Spain's Alejandro Canizares hits a shot into the 18th hole

Job well done: Alejandro Canizares shakes hands with his caddie after finishing the third round

'It was good to see a lot more smiling faces and a lot more people prepared to take their hands out of their pockets and applaud.

'I also get great support here but even more so today.'

Westwood has finished twice in this event before - to Colin Montgomerie in 2000 and in a play-off with Luke Donald in 2011 - but also won the World Match Play Championship at Wentworth in 2000.

Asked if a win tomorrow would be the biggest of his career, the 40-year-old added: 'It would be right up there, probably in the top three. Dubai (in 2009) was probably the biggest because that was to win the money list as well, while in 1997 I went down to Australia and beat Greg Norman for the Australian Open in a play-off and I rate that highly.'

Canizares, the son of four-time Ryder Cup player Jose Maria Canizares, won the Russian Open on his third start as an affiliate tour member in 2006 but had more limited ambitions at the start of the week.

In the swing: Alejandro Canizares of tees off on the seventh hole

'This week I was just happy to be able to swing the club,' said the 30-year-old, who was taken ill on the flight from Korea to China and treated in a Beijing hospital before being allowed to return home.

'After the practise round on Tuesday I felt really tired because it was the first 18 holes I had walked in three weeks. I had no idea how I was going to feel so I am very pleased that it's working out for me.

'Every now and then I get a little weird feeling in my head, but the doctors say that is normal.'

Italy's Matteo Manassero (69) and Scotland's Mark Warren (70) share third place on seven under par, with Ireland's Shane Lowry (69) a shot further back.

Chasing pack: Matteo Manassero, left, is in third place on seven under with Shane Lowry a shot further back

Dropping back: Overnight leader Francesco Molinari is now four shots off the lead

Manassero played in the final group with eventual winner Luke Donald in 2011 and went on to finish seventh, while Warren will be looking to erase memories of the recent Spanish Open when he bogeyed three of the last six holes to miss out on a play-off.

Warren, who also squandered a three-shot lead late in the final round of last year's Scottish Open, said: 'It would be huge (to win).

'This is our premiere event, this is the biggest event we play outside the Majors for us, it doesn't get any bigger.

'Career-wise it would mean the world to me.'

Spain's Sergio Garcia was among an eight-strong group four shots off the lead on five under that includes halfway leader Francesco Molinari, the Italian recovering from dropping five shots in three holes before the turn to cover the back nine in 34 for a 73.

Tough week: Sergio Garcia plays a shot during round three at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth

Garcia found himself at the centre of a race storm after joking at the European Tour's annual awards dinner on Tuesday that he would serve 'fried chicken' to Tiger Woods if the pair tried to patch up their differences over dinner at the US Open.

The Spaniard apologised profusely and escaped punishment for the incident, only for European Tour chief executive George O'Grady to then re-open the debate by using the phrase 'coloured athletes' in trying to defend the decision not to sanction Garcia.

O'Grady was forced to apologise as well, but Garcia received unequivocal support from the spectators at Wentworth and repaid their faith with a third round of 68 today to climb into contention for the £666,000 first prize.

'I think it's been a tough week but we've been getting better every day, so hopefully we can finish on a high note tomorrow,' said Garcia, who had not played in the event since 2000.

'There's no doubt that everybody has made it so much easier for me.

'The crowds here, I don't have words to explain what I feel towards them.

'They have been amazing, every single tee, every single green, cheering me on.

'I can never pay them back.

'Lee (Westwood) said on Thursday "I don't think I've ever heard a roar like that for anybody going into the first tee here," so that was very nice.'

Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez, playing his 600th European Tour event, carded a 67 to finish five shots off the lead on four under.