Mickelson's birdie at 18 gave him breathing space at the top

THIRD ROUND LEADERBOARD:
-14 P Mickelson (US)
-12 R Fisher (Eng)
-11 P Casey (Eng)
-10 K Stadler (US)
Selected others:
-7 P Harrington (Ire), V Singh (Fij)
-5 L Westwood (Eng)
-2 E Els (SA), R Goosen (SA)
+5 S Garcia (Spa)
+6 I Poulter (Eng)

Phil Mickelson birdied the 18th to move two shots clear of England's Ross Fisher after three rounds of the HSBC Champions event in Shanghai.

The world number two hit a 68, matched by Fisher, to stand on 14-under.

But the best round of the day came from another English player, Paul Casey, who chipped in three times for a 66 which secured him third spot at 11-under.

Overnight leader Kevin Stadler fell away after carding a 73 to be 10-under, while five players were on seven-under.

That group included Padraig Harrington (69) and Vijay Singh (72).

Casey said: "I got a little bit lucky today with three hole-outs from off the green - sometimes it happens.

"It really got my round going but I made my putts and made up for some of the missed putts I had yesterday."

Mickelson got off to a good start with a birdie at the second and topped the leaderboard for the first time when Stadler found a bunker for his second bogey of the day at the third.

606: DEBATE Give your reaction to Saturday's action in Shanghai

With Stadler making further errors, Thai-based Scot Simon Yates briefly joined the leader at 10-under, but a double bogey after finding the water at the sixth dropped him back down.

Yates finished with a diaappointing 75 to be nine shots off the lead.

Mickelson was reined back in when he three putted at the seventh before again took the lead courtesy of a sublime chip onto the green at the eighth.

Fisher refused to fade and produced some fine golf to remain in the chase, birdieing the eighth when hitting a wood 235 yards to within eight feet.

He played the back nine in two-under for his third 68 of the week.

Casey hit three birdies in the first four holes and grabbed another couple either side of the turn.

He had further birdies at 12 and 13, but played the last five holes in one-over to knock some of the gloss of an otherwise near-perfect round.