Open de France: Rasmus Hojgaard recovers from hellish start as Scott Jamieson is best of Scottish contingent

Leader Rasmus Højgaard bounced back after a desperate start in France.

The Dane saw his commanding six-shot halfway advantage cut to one stroke in the early stages of his third round after running up a quintuple-bogey eight at the short second hole, having found the water three times.

The shell-shocked 21-year-old then sent his tee-shot at the next hole straight into the water and made a bogey there to surrender the lead.

But he recovered with birdies at the sixth, eighth and 11th as well as several important par saves to return to the top of the leaderboard.

And Hojgaard mixed two birdies with two bogeys over the last seven holes to post a 74 and finish the day on 12 under par.

A two-shot swing on the final hole saw George Coetzee get within one of Hojgaard as he finished his 68 with a birdie courtesy of a magnificent approach shot.

Home favourite Paul Barjon and Belgian Thomas Pieters were another shot further back in a tie for third on 10 under.

The Scottish challenge from Grant Forrest and Bob MacIntyre petered out, however. Forrest shot a 75 to fall well off the pace and while MacIntyre fared better with a 71, he is seven shots off the pace. Scott Jamieson is the highest-ranked Scot on the leaderboard after his 68 moved him to 6 under.

Hojgaard remains in contention for a wire-to-wire victory as he goes in search of a fourth DP World Tour title.