Golf: Scots pair Catriona Matthew and Krystle Caithness stay in touch in Spain

CATRIONA Matthew and Krystle Caithness combined for a third round five-under-par 67 to put Scotland in joint ninth place at the Comunitat Valenciana European Nations Cup at La Sella Resort, Alicante.

With a round to play, Matthew and Caithness were on 11 under, six shots behind leaders Sweden. Sophie Gustafson and Anna Nordqvist shot a 70 in the better ball format and their 17-under-par total put them two ahead of Denmark's Iben Tinning and Lisa Holm Sorensen and Australia's Karrie Webb and Karen Lunn. The pairs in second place both shot 67.

Playing together for a first time last week, Matthew, the Ricoh Women's British Open Champion, and her 21-year-old team mate had a great run of six birdies in the first 12 holes.

The only blemish on the card was a bogey at the 16th, and Matthew remained optimistic. "We played better today," said the North Berwick 40-year-old. "We'll need a very low one tomorrow, but you never know."