McDowell watches his iron find the green on 9.

The other player on 9-under is a less well-known name, and until this year's Ryder Cup might even have been termed a 'minnow' in this company. But this reporter has already tipped Oliver Wilson as a possible winner of the HSBC, and he did nothing today to suggest that I am wrong. Wilson is one of a relatively small group of players who have qualified for the Ryder team without ever winning a tournament, but that tells you just how consistently he is playing. In his Ryder Cup debut match Wilson - alongside Stenson, interestingly enough - beat the massive American pairing of Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim, and he is heading both of them in this tournament as well.

Of his Ryder Cup match, he said: "It was a fantastic experience, and beating these two guys from the world top ten was obviously the highlight of the week. If I can finish ahead of them both this week then I ought to be very well-placed."

Questioned on his chances of what would be a massive maiden win, he showed exactly the spirit he will need. There was neither false modesty nor over-confidence in his reply: "I'm playing well enough. There is absolutely no reason why I can't go on and win this".

Oliver Wilson birdies 16 to join the leaders at 9-under.

Masters-winner Geoff Ogilvy shared the honors with McDowell for the low-score of the second round, with a similar bogey-free 65. It could easily have been one better – he lipped out a two-footer on 16 that would have taken him to -10. He was unhappy about having to start his third round in the growing gloom, and unfortunately fared less well, with a bogey on the first to drop him back to 8-under, a score he shares with his two playing partners, fellow-countryman Scott Strange and South Africa’s Andrew Mclardy, who birdied both the holes he played in round 3.

They find themselves alongside a certain Phil Mickelson, who blotted his copybook with a loose tee shot and a bogey on 17, having produced a wonderful birdie on 16.

There was cheering news for local fans as well. After a slightly disappointing first round, which saw none of the Chinese contenders in the top placings, a large crowd watched their best player and 2007 Asian Tour winner Liang Wenchong produce a 69 in his second round to move to 4-under, and then a birdie on 2 in the four holes he played of his third round to finish on 5-under for the tournament and a share of 13th place. Highlight of Liang's day was a long putt for birdie on 16, after a disappointing wedge had let him with a lot to do.