Willett leads BMW International Open by 1 stroke

PULHEIM, Germany – England's Danny Willett remained in pursuit of his first European Tour victory after shooting 69 on Saturday to lead by a shot at 12 under after three rounds of the BMW International Open.

The 24-year-old Willett moved ahead of England's Chris Wood (70) and Chilean-born Swede Joel Sjoholm (72) on the Gut Larcenhof course.

"I feel good about my game and today I drove the ball really well," Willett said. "I dropped a few shots here and there but holed a good few putts to make birdie or par."

Willett has returned to form only in the past three months after he tore a rib muscle in 2010.

Wood and Sjoholm are also chasing their first wins.

There was a humorous moment in Sjoholm's round when he was forced to confront a swan before playing his second shot at the fifth hole.

The swan emerged from a water hazard guarding the green and started waddling toward the 26-year old Sjoholm who, with a wedge, began waving his hands, to no avail.

A rules official then arrived and managed to entice the swan back into the water.

Sjoholm birdied the hole but dropped three shots in the next four.

Scotland's Colin Montgomerie marked his 49th birthday with a 72 that included three bogeys over his closing five holes to remain at 1 under.