A racism storm combined with threats of thunder storms followed by a deluge of big- name departures?

It's been some week for the BMW PGA Championship. Yesterday, as the sun burst through and the temperatures crept up to something akin to pleasant at Wentworth, it was all quiet on the West Course front. That was until Sergio Garcia took to the tee. It would all be rather ironic if the man whose ropey reference to "fried chicken" in relation to Tiger Woods provoked the almighty rocking of the boat ended up winning the European Tour's flagship event.

His 68 for 211 kept the Spaniard in the hunt for that as he rode the wave of support that has greeted him from the sidelines in the wake of the controversy. "I don't have words to explain what I feel towards them," said the embattled 33-year-old, who lurks in sixth. "Every single tee, every single green, cheering me on. I can never pay them back."

The championship, beset by fluffed lines off the course, desperately needed a rapid re-writing of the script to ensure that the actual golf took centre stage again and, in the improving conditions, the spotlight finally shone brightly on the play.

By the end of the day, it was another Spaniard, Alejandro Canizares, who took the starring role with a birdie-birdie finish in a four-under 68 which left him one shot clear of former European No 1 and 2011 runner-up Lee Westwood.

Canizares is continuing his recovery from viral meningitis and the resolve he has shown against the lingering effects has been admirable. "I'm tired and it's hard to keep concentrating, but I'm doing so well I might have to feel like this more often," joked the 30-year-old from Madrid.

While overnight leader Francesco Molinari saw his challenge dented by a damaging bogey, triple-bogey, bogey run towards the turn in a 73 for 211, Englishman Westwood upped the ante with a 67 that was bolstered by an eagle on the fourth as he continued to sparkle on his first major outing on home soil since re-locating to sunny Florida.

Matteo Manassero, the impressive young Italian who was joint leader heading into the final round two years ago, put himself in the picture again with a 69 for 209 to share third with Scotland's Marc Warren, who continued his steady progress with a 70.

Without a European Tour win since 2007, Warren has allowed both the Scottish Open and the Spanish Open to slip from his grasp when in command over the past 10 months, but the 32-year-old is more than content to be putting himself in such lofty positions again. "I had a couple of years in the wilderness and this is what I've been working to get back to," said the Scot. "Hopefully, this will be third time lucky and to do it here would be very special. It would prove a lot of people wrong."

On moving day, it was Warren's compatriot, Richie Ramsay, who really got going and a superb 66, his lowest of the season and the best of round three here, propelled the two-time European Tour winner up to the fringes of the top 10 on four-under 212.

Ramsay, who survived the cut with nothing to spare, had birdied four of his opening six holes and then made a trio of gains at 15, 16 and 17, but all the good work almost came unstuck on the par-five 18th. He plunged his drive into trees, took a penalty drop and put his next behind another immovable lump of wood and leaves. He faced a perilous approach to the green over water, but thumped a nine-iron round and over the tree to within three feet to salvage his five. "It was a Seve-like par to be honest," smiled Ramsay.

His fellow Aberdonian Greig Hutcheon also got motoring and, playing by himself as the first man out on the dawn patrol, the 40-year-old Tartan Tour stalwart barged up to the 213 mark with a five-under 67.

Hutcheon made a total of £38,500 on the domestic circuit last season. His current position on the leaderboard is worth more than £46,000. It could be a nice weekend's work.