Matteo Manassero leads by 3 at BMW PGA Championship, 11 years after winning it

VIRGINIA WATER, England (AP) — Eleven years after winning the title as a 20-year-old prodigy, Matteo Manassero moved into contention to capture the prestigious BMW PGA Championship again by shooting 9-under 63 to take a three-stroke lead after the third round on Saturday.

It would cap a career revival for the 31-year-old Italian, who as a teenager was widely expected to become a golfing superstar only for his game to go into freefall — dropping Manassero onto the third-tier Alps Tour and to a world ranking of 1,705.

Back on the European tour this year, he won in South Africa in March and now is in sight of a victory over a stacked field — containing Rory McIlroy — at the tour’s flagship event.

Manassero, now ranked No. 101, pumped his fist after curling in a 12-foot putt at the last to seal a birdie-birdie-birdie finish and a back nine of 31 on the storied West Course. He made seven birdies and an eagle 3 at No. 4, and was 18 under for the tournament.