Victorian Richard Green finished strongly to move within two strokes of leader Thomas Bjorn after the third round at the Johnnie Walker Classic.

Green birdied the final two holes, sinking a 12-metre bomb at the last, for a five-under-par 67 on another steamy afternoon at the Alpine course.

"I was a bit scratchy early but I made a birdie on (hole) eight which knocked me under par and set me up for the back nine," said the 32-year-old left-hander.

He joined Scot Simon Yates in a tie for third, while Dane Thomas Bjorn shot 70 to set the pace at 14-under 202, one stroke ahead of Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez (67) with one round left in this unique event tri-sanctioned by the Australasian, European and Asian Tours.

Three other Australians - Adam Scott (67), Marcus Fraser (66) and Scott Gardiner (69) - were four shots behind in a tie for eighth, along with defending champion Ernie Els.

Green's biggest career scalp came at the 1997 Dubai Desert Classic, where he beat Greg Norman and Ian Woosnam in a playoff.

He has not scaled similar heights since, but believes he is on the right track again after changing clubs and caddies last year.

He speaks in glowing terms of his new caddie, Newcastle's Stuart Dryden.

"I'm the first to admit I'm not the brightest bloke out there on the golf course, but with Stuart I feel I've got a 15th club in the bag," he noted.

Scott, as befits his nature, crept quietly into contention with three late birdies.

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