Shenzhen: Jeev Milkha Singh and Jyoti Randhawa put India in contention for a top-five finish at the Omega Mission Hills World Cup of Golf after combining for a brilliant seven-under 65 in the third-round four-ball Saturday.

The Indians ended their day on 16-under 200 to share the ninth place with Korea, Argentina and Australia.

India lived up to their earlier promise of going all out for a charge in fourball format, in which each player of the team plays with his own ball until completing the hole. The lower of the two scores is recorded as team score for that hole.

Jeev, a six-time Asian Tour winner and the continent’s No. 1 in 2008, kept up India’s charge with five birdies while Jyoti coloured their card with another three birdies of his own.

They blitzed their opening front-nine with five birdies against a lone bogey on the par-three eighth. The pair then fired three consecutive birdies starting from the 10th to return home in 65. However, they were left to rue several missed birdie chances, which would have given them a lower score on the home run.

Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell kept Ireland on course for a third World Cup triumph with an eight-under-par 64 in fourballs on Saturday to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the $5.5 million event.

The Ulstermen, who led by three shots at the start of the day, were unable to replicate the fireworks of their first round 58 but shared eight birdies in a blemish free round to move to 26-under, a shot better than Sweden and Italy.

Henrik Stenson and Robert Karlsson carded a 63 in the final round foursomes to lift the trophy for Sweden last year, so will be pleased to have kept the leaders so close with their 10-birdie 62. (Agencies)