Thai veteran Thongchai Jaidee made a stunning start to the third round of the French Open at Le Golf National on Saturday.

Having just made the halfway cut by two strokes after rounds of 70 and 74, Thongchai needed a big early effort to get back in contention and that he did by birdieing the first six holes.

That shot him up the leaderboard to four under for the tournament through 14 holes, matching the overnight leading mark.

Thongchai, who has won six times on the European tour, came close to winning the French Open last year before Graeme McDowell triumphed.

The three halfway leaders at four under - Victor Dubuisson of France, Martin Kaymer of Germany and Spain's Rafa Cabrera-Bello - were just setting out as the Thai star was coming down the back nine.

And it was the 2009 French Open winner Kaymer who started best with birdies at the first and third to move to six under for the tournament.

Dubuisson, seeking to become the first home French Open winner since Thomas Levet in 2011, fell back with a bogey at the first, while Cabrera-Bello opened with two pars.

Italy's Francesco Molinari and James Morrison of England both had two early birdies to get to five under, one shot off the lead.
Source: AFP