Madeira Island Open: George Murray catches overnight leader

SCOTLAND'S George Murray joined James Morrison on 12 under at the top of the Madeira Islands Open leaderboard at the midway point of their third rounds.

Murray had trailed overnight- leader Morrison by a single stroke at the start of play, but erased the deficit on the front nine after he birdied the par-five third for the third consecutive day.

Morrison also birdied the third but his advantage was lost with a bogey at the par-five sixth to leave the Englishman level with his playing partner. The duo were two shots clear of nearest rival, Irishman Simon Thornton, who shot 36 at the turn after a mixed bag of a pair of birdies and bogeys, with

England's John Parry a further stroke back on nine under after shooting 34 at the same stage.